Chandigarh, July 29
The Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society (SACS) has finalised the proposal to provide comprehensive STI (sexually transmitted infections) care and treatment in the private sector.

For the first time in the history of HIV/AIDS awareness/prevention in the city, STI/STD (sexually transmitted diseases) clinics running in private sector will be upgraded to incorporate the HIV/AIDS component, which has long been ignored to the detriment of people’s health.

The proposal is rooted in the alarming rise in the STI cases in the city and a realization that those infected don’t usually visit government-run STI clinics. Only 20 to 25 per cent of the infected population visits government hospitals, according to country-wide data; the rest go to private practitioners who have negligible knowledge of the links between HIV and STI/STDs.

No wonder upgrading private STD clinics to address HIV components is a major goal of National AIDS Control Programme-III, now under implementation in India. It seeks to prevent STIs to reduce vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. Research shows that those suffering from STIs or STDs are two to five times more vulnerable than the uninfected population to the HIV virus.

Similarly, those with HIV suffer increased susceptibility to other STIs. Treatment strategies have to be accordingly followed and general practitioners trained to read STI symptoms, which increase patients’ vulnerability to HIV, said Dr Suvir Saxena, acting project director, SACS.

At present, there are 1005 cases of sexually transmitted infections in Chandigarh, as reported by four government STD clinics. The number was 654 in 1999. It has have on consistent rise, settling at 648 in 2000, 744 in 2002, 810 in 2003, 880 in 2004 and 1005 in 2006. National AIDS Control Organization's (NACO) latest data show that attendance at STD clinics is higher among females.

In Chandigarh right now, the four STD clinics are being run by the departments of dermatology, PGI and GMCH-32, the skin OPD at GMSH-16 and the community health centre, Sector 22. SACS now plans to upgrade five privately run clinics. Two general practitioners have already been identified at Mauli Jagran and Manimajra for training in HIV-STD link and strategies.

Chandigarh, July 29
An S ROM knee was successfully implanted into a patient needing a revision knee replacement at the PGI, making it the first hospital to carry out such a surgery in North India.

This is only the third operation performed successfully anywhere in the country, claimed Dr M.S. Dhillon, department of orthopaedics.

Not more than 40 surgeries have been reported across the world so far, added Dr Dhillon.

The PGI was the first one to carry out a hip replacement surgery in 1982 and a total knee replacement surgery in 1987 in the North.

The S ROM knee, now available internationally, gives the surgeon a lot of leverage in cases where there is a serious loss of bone after the removal of old implant.

Specialised cone-shape metallic fillers fill up the defects in bone and special stems are inserted inside the bone to add stability.

This hinged implant helps keep the knee stable, leaving the scope of movement up to 90 degrees and allowing the patient get on with his routine life, including climbing the stairs, said Dr Dhillon.

Replaced knees start wearing out after a certain period, which can extend up to 20 years, and require a new replacement, also called revision knee replacement.

“Many patients of total knee replacement come to us with loose or worn-out knees, done previously here or elsewhere,” said the orthpaedician.

This often causes a lot of pain, restricting the motion and causing the bones to wear out extensively. When the old implant is taken out, huge bone defects and craters are sometimes encountered, said Dr Dhillon.

The options previously available helped doctors in a limited way and sometimes made it impossible for them to put in a new implant due to the bone loss, forcing them to fuse up the knee (the bones needed to be joined together) to make the knee painless, but stiff.

On Wednesday, a surgery was carried out on a woman crippled by the condition after her previous knee replacement wore out.

“The joint was initially removed in a previous surgery, leaving behind a huge gap that needed to be filled up. She did not want her knee to be stiffened up. We took up the challenge and carried out a successful implant,” said Dr Dhillon.

The cost of the surgery, however, will remain a deterrent for a majority of patients, said Dr Dhillon.

The surgery costs Rs 3 lakh at the PGI, he added.

Panchkula, July 29 
The Panchkula District Cricket Association (affiliated with the Haryana Cricket Association) selected 38 players for the camp in preparation of the Haryana State Inter District Cricket (under-15) Championship starting from August 11, being organised by the Haryana Cricket Association. 

According to Sandeep Moudgil , secretary of the association, around 60 players participated in the trials. The most encouraging aspect was the presence of more than 25 participants in the medium pacers’ category, out of which, best 15 have been picked. — TNS

Chandigarh, July 29
Government Model School-46 gave a crushing defeat to St Anne’s School team 32-09 in the Shriman Ishwar Singh Memorial Basketball Tournament 2007 for girls. The tournament is being held at IS Dev Samaj Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 21, here.

In another encounter, New Public School-18 team beat Guru Nanak Public School-36 team 29-07.

Right from the beginning, the New Public team were dominating their opponents as their half-time score stood at 25-1.

In the third match, YPS Mohali team outclassed GMSSS-46 by 44-36. In this neck-to-neck tie, the half-time score was 18-15.

In the last match of the day, Sacred Heart-26 team prevailed over Carmel Convent -9 team 16-46. The half-time score was 18-15 in favour of SH-26.

Patiala, July 29
The Punjab government has decided to make award-winning sportspersons to sign a bond, stating that they would represent the state for five years from the date of receipt of the award.

The decision to make the players to sign the bond was taken by an empowered committee, comprising the sports minister, the principal secretary to the government, the secretary-general of the Punjab Olympic Association, two Olympians and the sports director.

“As there was no strict policy on which cash awards will be conferred, sportspersons used to ‘manipulate’ these by representing more than one state,” a Punjab sports department official said.

A good example is ace discus thrower Neelam J. Singh, who while representing Haryana at the National Games, claimed cash awards from both Haryana and Punjab.

Hockey Olympian Deepak Thakhur is another example. Thakur, a resident of Himachal Pradesh, used to claim awards from Punjab also as he represented the state at the National Games.

While some sportspersons enjoy the benefit of awards, there are others who are neglected. This is just the case of cyclist Gurpreet Kaur, who won a medal in the Asian Cycling Championship, held at Ludhiana in 2006. A domicile of Haryana, Gurpreet represented Punjab at several national games and championships. However, even after winning accolades for the state, she was never recommended for an award by the Punjab Cycling Association (PCA).

Gurpreet then planned to shift to Haryana as the state at that time offered huge incentives to sportspersons. But the PCA refused to give her the mandatory no-objection certificate required to compete for Haryana.

It is to check such practices that the government has come up with the notification dated June 4, 2007, said an official of the Punjab sports department

He added that the notification also states that “the only exception will be made in the case of Public Sector Undertakings and services’ employees who are unable to represent Punjab in national championships. Such employees will represent Punjab in all other events".

It is to be noted that the Punjab government had recently announced a slew of cash awards for sportspersons bringing laurels in the Olympics, world championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, National Games, Afro-Asian Games, SAF Games and international games for the handicapped.

Chandigarh, July 29
Hockey, India’s national game, has been on decline in the city with very poor participation reported from the ongoing Pre-Nehru Hockey Championship for school teams.

In boys’ category, only two teams sent their entries in the under-15 age group while four teams are participating in the u-17 group. Such thin participation in u-15 group forced the Education Department (Sports), the organisers of the championship, to take u-15 group teams into u-17 group.

The situation is similar in the girls’ section, where not even a single team has come for u-17 group, while in u-15 group only four teams had arrived for the championship. The winners of this tournament qualify for annual Nehru Hockey Championship at Delhi.

Whatever may be the reasons, the thin participation in the tournament definitely reflects the poor state of affairs in the game at the grassroots level here.

The concerned officials blame the poor sports infrastructure in schools and directionless sports policies. On the issue, assistant director sports (education) K.S. Bharti said, “Pre-Nehru hockey and Pre-Subroto football are inter-school tournaments. In principle, the tournaments should be conducted under my supervision. But see my plight; I have no information about the ongoing tournaments.”

“On my last visit to all government schools last month I found the grounds of all schools were in pathetic condition. These grounds were not fit to play games like hockey or football. Moreover our sports policies are also not encouraging,” said Bharti.

On the condition of anonymity, a budding local hockey player said that all sportsmen got step-motherly treatment at the hands of the teaching community. “Most of the teachers do not like sportspersons. Since there are hardly any prospects for hockey players, not many players take up this game.”

The lack of focus on sports at schools leaves the students discouraged as academics take centre stage.

On the other hand, general secretary of Chandigarh Hockey Association, Y.P. Vohra, feels that besides the government’s neglect, lack of funds and opportunities and repeated defeats are the main reasons for youngsters leaving the game. “The sports authorities should ensure that hockey should be played in every school here. We have talent but the need is to nurture it in right direction.”

Montreal, July 29
A much-needed win eluded former world junior champion P Harikrishna in the final-round game against Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and the Indian had to be content with the third place at the Montreal International Chess tournament here.

Harikrishna needed a full point to finish a clear first in the event but he could do little against Ivanchuk’s fine technique and lost due to his slightly worse position in the middle game.

Harikrishna stands to gain around eight ELO rating points in the tournament, while Ivanchuk, who won his third title on the trot in less than two months, gained seven points.

The rapid rise of the Ukrainian in the past few months has seen his rating escalating to a whopping ELO 2762 and with further gains, he is likely to be among the FIDE top three.

The second place went to Sergei Tiviakov of Holland, who played out a draw with local talent Pascal 
Charbonneau. — PTI