Hospital to hold expo on diabetes awareness
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 20
SPS Apollo Hospitals will hold a "Diabetes Awareness Expo- 2007" here on June 23 and 24. Addressing a news conference here today, the director, medical services of the hospital, Dr G.L. Avasthi, informed that the alarming rise in the number of diabetics over the past few years had reached epidemic proportions and had become a major health concern.

"The number of diabetics in India is now above 35 million - the highest in the world, which is expected to cross 80 million by the year 2030. This translates to the fact that every fifth diabetic in the world is an Indian. Most of us have either a relative a friend or a colleague with diabetes, while some of us actually suffer from this lifelong disease."

Emphasising the need for prevention also early detection of the condition so as the management and treatment could be started at an early stage, Dr Avasthi pointed out that this strategy would remain incomplete without a simultaneous public campaign to create adequate awareness and prevent complications of diabetes. This campaign must be implemented with a sense of urgency before the consequences of this disease overwhelm the entire nation physically, emotionally and financially.

Dr Gurpreet Singh, consultant endocrinologist, remarked that diabetes was truly a "silent killer", quietly taking its toll on many organs of the body resulting in disabling long-term complications such as heart attacks and strokes, kidney failure, loss of vision, damage to nerves, slow wound healing sometimes leading to foot ulcers and limb amputation. These problems were often noted once permanent damage had already been done. In order to prevent these complications, timely control of diabetes was necessary.

Dr Ramanbir Singh, associate consultant in endocrinology, informed that over the period, the continuing process of innovative research and development had led to availability of several products in the field of diabetes care, which included newer oral hypoglycemics, newer insulins, innovative insulin delivery devices as well as glucose monitoring devices that enabled the doctors to take better care of their patients.

"Consumer products such as diabetic footwear and diabetic food products are also available in the market, allowing patients to eat healthier foods and live better lives." The Diabetes Awareness Expo 2007 will showcase a wide range of such products for the diabetics.

The COO at Apollo, Dr S.P. Singh, said the 2-day programme, to be organised at the hospital premises, would not only put on display a variety of devices and food items for diabetics, but would also aim at educating the public through series of lectures on different related topics. and updating the skills of physicians in seminars and CMEs to be held as a part of the initiative.

The Expo will be open to members of public, who will also have an opportunity to participate in the question-answer sessions. An added attraction of the programme will be free distribution of glucometers by lucky draws to be taken out on both the days. More information on the Expo is available on-line at www.diabeticsexpo.com, Dr Singh added.

25 kids with cleft lip treated for free
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 20
Since the inception of Smile Train Project at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) here on March 14, cleft lip of 25 children has been treated with the congenital deformity surgically corrected, that too absolutely free of cost.

According to professor and head of plastic surgery at DMCH Dr Ashok K. Gupta, the hospital had been able to extend the facility of surgical treatment for cleft lip and cleft palate to the children with no financial liability on their parents with the cooperation from the NGO, Smile Train Project.

"It has been observed that the cleft lip and cleft palate are common congenital defects and one in every 700-800 children is born with this deformity. In India alone, nearly 35,000 children are born with cleft deformities each year," Dr Gupta said.

The DMCH authorities informed that patients with the congenital deformities could avail themselves of free treatment from the hospital’s department of plastic surgery and burns. The patients will be treated absolutely free of cost, with no medicine charges, no bed charges and no operation fee. All laboratory investigations, as well as the post-operative care will also be provided free of cost.

A team of doctors of the department comprising Dr Ashok Kumar Gupta, professor and head, Dr Sanjeev Uppal, professor and Dr Rajinder Kumar Mittal, associate professor in the department of plastic surgery will perform the surgery and provide pre and post-operative care. The facilities of orthodontia and speech therapy for surgically-treated persons will also be made available at the hospital, the authorities said.

Tehsildar’s office being renovated privately
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 20
Hundreds of people visiting the tehsildar (east) office at the basement of the mini-secretariat have to look for drinking water elsewhere as the water cooler there is not functioning. At the same time tehsildar Kanwar Narinder Singh is getting his office renovated privately these days. This is the only office out of the four tehsildar offices, which is being renovated.

The tehsildar (east) has one more office at Transport Nagar, besides the one at the mini secretariat. The land registration work is done at the Transport Nagar office whereas at the mini secretariat office he handles land dispute cases. As the renovation work is under progress, the official work is being conducted in an adjoining room.

An employee of another official said garbage and waste material of the tehsildar’s office was being dumped outside the office causing much inconvenience to the visitors. “The water cooler is not working for the past many days. Visitors have to wait for their turn without water in summer. Thousands are being spent on painting of walls and polishing of furniture and fans but no body is bothered about the problems of the visitors here, who come from far-off places”, he said.

The source maintained that the renovation work was being carried out privately by the tehsildar as the offices of other tehsildars were not being redone.

Meanwhile, Kanwar Narinder Singh said he was getting the renovation work done on his own and there was no misuse of government funds. He said the offices of his counterparts were in a better condition and his office needed immediate refurbishing. “We are aware of garbage dumping and the non-functional water cooler. We will sort out the problems soon”, he added.

Meanwhile, Jagwinderjit Singh Grewal, SDM (east) when asked about the renovation work being going at the tehsildar's office, said that he could not comment as he was not aware of the facts. But he said, "Let me see, I will look into the matter"