HEALTH

Aesthetic surgery picks up, says doctor
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 24
Aesthetic Surgery, which was earlier confined to actresses and models, has now become common among youngsters. Today, people do not mind spending money to have better looks, enhance their personality and bring back their lost confidence. These views were expressed by Dr Lokesh Kumar, senior consultant plastic surgeon, Apollo Hospital, New Delhi. He is in the city to attend a two-day conference of plastic surgeons at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.

In an interview with Ludhiana Tribune here today, Dr Lokesh Kumar said Aesthetic Surgery had advanced so much in recent years that it can change the shape of your face, nose etc. “You can look good and feel good”, he said.

Dr Kumar, who is also the secretary of the Indian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (IAAPS), said that there had been a tremendous shift in the profile of the patients. “A good number of people in metropolitan cities come for cosmetic surgery. People in big cities are much aware about new techniques in plastic surgery but our aim is to bring awareness among people about the recent advancements in plastic surgery in cities like Chandigarh, Ludhiana etc”.

He said that good looks through cosmetic surgery were not common among the females but males, too, have become beauty-conscious. “Rhinoplasty is very common among young males. A good number of middle-aged males come for liposuction — the sucking out the fat from areas like tummy. Males and females approach us for removing acne marks. People, right from the age of 15 to 65, come to us for various purposes like removal of eye-bags, breast implants, tummy tuck, facial enhancement etc”, said Dr Lokesh Kumar.

Now “temporary treatment” was becoming very common and it had no side-effects. “The injection like Botox for face lift has been much in demand. Its effect remains for almost six-eight months, then you have to repeat it. Once you start getting it repeatedly, wrinkles, crows’ feet etc start disappearing. It has absolutely no side-effect”, he said.

Meanwhile, the two-day-long international workshop-cum-conference on “Body culpturing and implants in aesthetic surgery”, organised by the Plastic Surgery Department of the DMCH, concluded here today. The conference was attended by more than 150 aesthetic plastic surgeons from all over the world.

The conference was inaugurated yesterday by the chief guest of the occasion, Dr L.S. Chawla, founder Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences, Faridkot, and former Principal, DMCH.

Dr A.K. Gupta, an expert from Bombay Hospital, Mumbai, and president, IAAPS, said that the conference has been organised to raise the standards of plastic surgery by having global participation. It aimed to restore, reform and rejuvenate the person for a better body image.

Dr Sanjeev Uppal introduced the foreign faculty comprising, Dr Topaz Morris from Israel, Dr Abdul Lari from Kuwait, Dr M Rangaswami from the UAE, Dr Bhatia from Australia, Dr K S Bhangoo from the USA and Dr S Prashar from Bahrain.

Dr Ashok Gupta, Dr Manoj Khanna, Dr Sheila Rohtagi, Dr R.K. Sharma and Dr Devansh participated in a panel discussion on ‘facial sculpturing’.

Besides, there was an open house on the latest advancement in this field i.e lasers and facial enhancements. Dr Kuldeep Singh was the moderator and Dr S.S. Sethi, Dr P.K. Talwar, Dr Manoj Johar, Dr Alka Dogra, Dr Sanjay Prashar, Dr Ashok Gupta and Dr Devansh were the panelists. They threw light on the revolution that has been brought in by various types of lasers which could remove hair permanently and work miracles for skin lightening and scar removal. There was a special lecture by Dr K.S. Bhangoo from the USA on Body Sculpturing — an overview. Dr Lokesh Kumar talked about the legal pitfalls in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Re-register docs’ names, demands PCMSA
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 24
All 26,500 registered doctors, are facing the threat of legal objection to clinical practice, without being re-registered by the Punjab Medical Council.

The Punjab Civil Medical Services cadre has alleged that the names of the doctors had been illegally erased from the register of the council by previous officials of the medical council.

In response to a move of the Punjab Medical Council, to invite fresh applications for re-registration of the 34,000 qualified doctors of ‘‘Punjab and Himachal Pradesh’’, the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association has demanded re-entry of names of all doctors (whose names had been erased), un-conditionally in the ‘‘updated medical register’’.

In a press note issued here, Dr Hardeep Singh, state president of the association said the efforts of the newly appointed president of PMC, to re-register all 34,000 doctors were to be appreciated but there was no proposal to re-instate the doctors, who had been removed from PMC.

Dr Hardeep Singh said,‘‘The previous Registrar of the Punjab Medical Council had illegally erased the names of 4/5th of the total registered doctors from the medical register totally ignoring the rules. Although the Punjab Medical Council Registration Act 1916, empowers the Registrar to erase the names of only those registered doctors, who fail to reply to three consecutive postal correspondences of the medical council, for this also the Registrar has to present their cases to the Chairman to get the permission for removing the names ’’.

Dr Hardeep Singh demanded that the dropped doctors should be registered again unconditionally.

City doc attends conference of acupuncture assn
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 24
Dr Inderjit Singh, Principal of Ludhiana Acupuncture Medical College and Hospital along with Dr Harpreet Kaur, attended the 10th National Conference of Acupuncture Association of India at Indore in which 328 acupuncture doctors participated.

The conference was inaugurated by Dr Bharat Chhattarpati, Vice-Chancellor, Devki Ahilya University, Indore. Dr Chhattarpati, in his address said the traditional systems of treatment, including acupuncture, and ayurveda, were getting popular in developed countries.

Dr Inderjit said that 11 research papers were read on this occasion.In his paper on treatment of mentally-challenged children, Dr Inderjit Singh said their treatment through acupuncture was giving good results and Ludhiana Acupuncture Medical College was going to open a separate department for mentally-challenged children.

100 persons examined at medical camp
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 24
The Ludhiana City Jaycees organised a free medical camp at Public Hospital, Urban Estate, Jamalpur, yesterday. Dr Avinash Bajaj and Dr Pawan Aggarwal checked patients and gave medicines free of cost to them. More than 100 patients were checked in the camp.

Manvinder Kataria, president of the Ludhiana City Jaycees said that service to humanity is the best work of life.

Ms Ritu Ahuja said that Jaycees was now committed to organise one free medical camp once in a month.

Among those were present at the camp were Vineet Ahuja, Aman Kapoor, Kiranjit Kataria, Rajesh Gupta, Jasminder Singh, J.P. Aggarwal, Harpreet Anand, Jahangir Baweja and Jc Dr Prince Maddan.

Mohan Dai hospital to start new centre
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 24
Mohan Dai Oswal Memorial Hospital, Ludhiana, will open another centre in the city at Purana Bazar, near Daresi Ground. The centre will start functioning in January, 2004.

Dr Satish Jain, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, in a press note issued here yesterday said the centre would have all OPDs, including medicine, gynaecology, eye, chest and TB, paediatrics, family planning clinics, surgery, orthopaedics, ENT, skin, dental etc.

“The centre will also have a minor operation theatre. Patients requiring admission will be referred to the Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation. Senior doctors from the main hospital will be visiting the centre on regular basis for expert advise,” said Dr Jain.

SPORTS

Manmeet Kaur, Japni Sethi are best athletes
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, December 24
Manmeet Kaur and Japni Sethi were declared the best athletes among the girls and boys’ sections, respectively in the Fifth Annual Sports Meet of the Darshan Academy, Bhamian Kalan, Chandigarh Road, near here yesterday.

A large number of the students took part in the one-day meet which was declared open by releasing the balloons and pigeons by the chief guest, Mr Parveen Aggarwal, Executive Director of Bharat Box Factory.

The participants were divided into different houses who competed in various disciplines and fun games. Before the formal inauguration, students took out a fine march past. Dumb bell and ribbon exercises display were the main attraction of the inaugural function. Mr A.K. Bhatnagar, Principal of the school and Mr J.D. Jalota, secretary, management committee welcomed the parents of the students and other dignatries. Mr Jaswant Singh, president of Darshan Academy, read out the vote of thanks.

Mr Avinash Chander Sethi, District Education Officer (Secondary), presided over the prize distribution function. While speaking on the occasion, Mr Sethi exhorted the students to take part in games. “Winning or losing is not important, what matters is the spirit of participation,” the DEO said.

Kabaddi tourney organised
Our Correspondent

Amloh, December 24
The Nirmal Singh Nimma Memorial Kabaddi Tournament was organised at Ram Singh Nau (Bhadson) village near here yesterday.

Mr Harchand Singh Barsat, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, was the chief guest at the concluding function. He announced a grant of Rs 51,000 for a stadium to be built in the village. The land for the stadium would be provided by the village panchayat.

Results: Academy Kabaddi Competition — Sher-e-Punjab 1; Rara Sahib 2; One Village Open — Ghamiara 1, Jaldiwal 2.

The Ghamiara team was awarded a cash prize of Rs 25,000, besides Rs 7,000 as a special prize. Mr Karamjeet Singh Dhariwal gave away the prizes to the winners.