City observes ORS Day
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 29
Since WHO adopted "Oral Rehydration Salts" (ORS) in 1978 as its primary tool to fight diarrhoea, the mortality rate for children suffering from acute diarrhoea has fallen from 5 million to 1.3 million deaths annually.

Head of paediatrics department at ESIC Model Hospital here, Dr Rajinder Gulati, says for more than 25 years, WHO and UNICEF have recommended a single formulation of glucose-based ORS to prevent or treat dehydration from diarrhoea.

Meanwhile, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, in association with local branch of Indian Academy of Pediatrics observed ORS Day here today.

Speaking at the occasion, principal of DMCH and professor of paediatrics, Dr Daljit Singh, remarked that despite all the efforts, diarrhoea still remained the main cause of childhood deaths. Many lives could have been saved had these children been given ORS from the onset of diarrhoea. Professor and head of paediatrics at DMCH Dr Harmesh Singh Bains said that one should refrain from eating outside especially in the rainy season. A talk was delivered by Dr Deepak Bhat, assistant professor on the role of hypo-osmolar ORS (WHO-ORS) and zinc in diarrhoeal diseases of children.

Ultrasound scan centres under the scanner
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 29
The district health administration is keeping a watchful eye on the ultrasound scan centres to curb violations of the provisions laid down under the PNDT Act and to stop the menace of female foeticide.

The district family welfare office Dr Reena Sandhu told the District Advisory Committee under PNDT Act in a meeting held here yesterday that during last two months 17 scan centres were inspected by the authorities. "For various irregularities detected by the inspecting teams, registration of two centres was suspended while five others were given show-cause notices."

In the intervening period, two new scan centres were registered while registration of two others was renewed on completion of necessary formalities.