Cases of dengue, swine flu keep authorities on their toes

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 23

It has been a year of highs and lows on the health front. While the Health Department managed to conduct the biggest measles and rubella campaign, the expansion plan of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) continued to remain in limbo after the UT authorities pitched an exorbitant price for transferring of land.

The Health Department yet again failed to curb the dengue menace. However, no death, as per the claim of the department, was reported this year but dengue cases again crossed the 1,000 mark.

The year also witnessed unprecedented spurt in swine flu cases. As many as six persons from the city lost their life while over 56 were hospitalised. As per the department, patients had suffered from a new type of strain, (Michigan strain) which proved to be fatal.

In March, Dr Jagat Ram (60) took charge as the Director of the PGIMER.

Dr Ram, head, Advanced Eye Centre, was the senior-most among the three doctors who were shortlisted for the post. His term will run till October 30, 2021. G Dewan replaced RK Kaushal as the new Director, Health Services, UT.

The infant mortality rate (IMR) in Chandigarh has come down to 14 from 21 deaths per 1,000 live births, as per the 2016 sample registration system (SRS) bulletin. The bulletin prepared by the Census Department was released in October.

Cancer, mental health issues

One in eight males and one in seven females in the city are at the risk of developing cancer, said a survey report released during the non-communicable diseases (NCD) congress.

Prof BS Chavan, Head, Department of Psychiatry, GMCH- 32, while releasing a report on mental health had said over one lakh people living in the city were suffering from one or other kind diagnosable mental disorder.

Controversies

The much-hyped survey conducted by the PGI on the menace of drugs in Punjab also caused much uproar as the survey found less than one per cent of the total population hooked to drugs. It also found that 42 per cent of drug addicts in Chandigarh used injectables.

A cancer survey released during the world non-communicable disease congress also found liquor, not underground water, to be the main cause behind rising cancer cases in the Malwa region.

No let-up in burn cases on Diwali

There was no let-up in burn cases during Diwali. As many as 141 persons sustained burn injuries while 52 patients suffered eye injury. The festival of light turned fatal and led to the death of veteran politician Madan Mohan Mittal’s granddaughter Aditi Mittal (22) who suffered burn during Diwali.

Delivery of 10-year-old

The 10-year-old-girl who was raped by her uncles gave birth to a girl child through C-section at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32. The child was born after 35 weeks of pregnancy, which was discovered in July. The delivery was a challenge for doctors of the GMCH. The eight-member board constituted by the PGI had ruled out any possibility of termination of pregnancy.

Highs

• PGIMER conferred with ‘Health Excellence Award’ at World Hospital Congress, Taiwan.
• In July, city performed the first lung transplant at PGI. However, the patient died after two weeks.
• PGIMER   received   42 cadaver donations in 2017 as compared to 27 last year, which is highest so far.
• Renal Transplant Surgery Department conducted 78 cadaveric kidney transplants.
• PGI begins a new procedure for liver cancer.
• The ‘Week-Nielsen Survey 2017’ ranks PGIMER the second best in medical education, research and patient care.
• The Health Department introduced a new mobile food testing laboratory.
• Infant mortality rate in city comes down to 14 from 21 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Lows

• Seizure of biomedical waste belonging to the PGIMER and the GMCH-32 from  scrap dealers in Naya Gaon.
• Sarangpur land deal for new medical facility of the PGI in limbo.
• City has 5,606 HIV positive patients and a majority of them are drug addicts, homosexuals, truckers and jail inmates.
• 20 students of GMS, Mani Majra, rushed to a hospital after suffering from common side effects on the first day of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccination
• The e-health centre at Dhanas  remained a non-starter and was found locked barely a few days after much-hyped launch by Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore.
• Six persons died of swine flu.
• Over 1,000 residents affected with dengue.