HEALTH

Polio mop-up operation to be intensified in 6 districts
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 10
Following the directions of the World Health Organisation, the state health department has directed the districts heath authorities at least six districts surrounding the district to be prepared for mopping up operation in view of a polio case detected in city recently. The Sangrur district health authorities claimed to have made necessary arrangements to comply with the WHO dictates.

Dr K.C. Goel, District Health Officer, Sangrur, said the district had constituted more than 225 teams for ensuring administering polio vaccine to children between 0 to 5 years. More than 1,500 members of medical and paramedical staff will work for three days to identify the beneficiaries and administer required dose to them as per their convenience.

“To achieve the target of making the mopping up operation a success a success, we have coordinated our efforts with adjoining districts. Efforts will be made to identify those children who might be shifting from one district to the another,” said Dr Goel.

Referring to information received from Dr Nirpal Singh, Civil surgeon Sangrur Dr Goel stated that 95 teams had been constituted to cater immunisation facility in local town and villages falling under Fatehgarh Panj Garaian block and 93 teams for Amargarh block. Mehal Kalan block would be served by 45 teams. In addiction 12 mobile teams had been constituted, he added.

On the significance of immunisation programme the DHO explained that the present programme was more important that earlier programmes in this part of the state as a polio case had been detected at Ludhiana recently. “According to the WHO standards, under mopping up operation the Health Department has to cover at least ten lakh children in the vicinity of a place where the case was detected,” elaborated Dr Goel. He pointed out that immunisation programme at Sangrur, Fatehgarh, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Moga and Ludhiana districts had been intensified due to obvious proximity to the city where a seven-year old child was reported to have tested positive for polio virus. 

Guard skin against cold weather
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 10
Commenting on the skin problems commonly experienced during the cold weather, Dr Emy Alexander, Dermatologist at the Christian Medical College and Hospital here remarked that dry skin (xerosis) was a common problem encountered in this season. It is the effect of reducing hydrating agents like phospho-lipids, amylase and amylopectins. Dry skin is also associated with troublesome itching which can even lead to dermatitis if not attended to.

“Dermatitis is especially common in people who are allergic. The disease gets flared up by decreased barrier function and increased water loss.The water loss can be attributed to various factors like frequent bathing, infections, direct contact with woolens, fur of pets and carpets”.

She said the human skin was made up of different layers. The outer epithelial layer - epidermis, is the most likely target of environment, as the harsh elements can hardly reach the dermal layer that lies below. The epidermis constantly peels off and rejuvenates. But during this course of molting, the skin looks dry and one tends to lose the natural glow. The peeling off is more likely to occur during the winter months as the winds are dry and squeeses out the natural oily texture of the skin.

Dr Emy advised that certain measures were needed to be taken to relieve xerosis in the dry and cold weather conditions. One ought to take a bath once daily with a mild soap, preferably glycerine soap, emollients like petroleum jelly, moisturising creams, glycerine or oils should be used at least four times a day. Among oils, olive oil is the safest as it has no biological effect. For better results, the emollients should be used on damp skin as the absorption on damp skin is comparatively faster and more efficient.

She further advised that the skin should be kept covered as much as possible as a safeguard from dry winds. Those with dry skin should stay away from deodorant or antibacterial soaps. 

Ophthalmological meet opens
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 10
Dr Ravinder Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences today asked the medical fraternity to keep abreast with latest developments in medical and related fields to provide world class facilities to the people. At the same time, the doctors needed to be aware of their social commitments and maintain the cost of the treatment at an affordable level. He was inaugurating the two-day 9th annual general conference of the Punjab Ophthalmological Society (POS) here. Dr Dhanwant Singh, a renowned eye surgeon from Patiala and recipient of Padama Shri award was the guest of honour at the conference.

Dr Ranbir Singh from Amritsar was conferred the ‘life time achievement’ award at the meet, which was attended by more than 300 delegates coming from different places in Punjab and neighbouring states.

Among the guest speakers, were a galaxy of eye surgeons from all over the country, including Dr Daljit Singh (Amritsar), Dr Harbans Lal, Dr Ruchi Goel, Dr K.P.S. Malik, Dr Devinder Sood (all from New Delhi), Dr Kanwaljit Singh (Allahabad), Dr Kapil Vohra (Ambala) and Dr Raghbir Singh (Amritsar).

Dr MPS Bhatia from Government Medical College, Patiala, was installed as the next president of POS while Dr Rajinder Singh was unanimously re-elected as its secretary. Members of the state executive committee and scientific committee were also elected by the attending delegates.

The chief guest presented the best society of the year award to Ludhiana chapter which was received by Dr Deepak K. Gupta, secretary of the local society. A souvenir and video CD of POS was also formally released at this occasion. For the first time in the region, the deliberations of the conference were available live which was made possible by active cooperation of the BSNL, which had laid a dedicated line up to the venue of the conference from its Pakhowal Road exchange in the city.