Healthcare, education, sports organisations in Malwa region of Ludhiana, Malerkotla districts sans physicians, dieticians
Sports medicine physicians and dieticians are conspicuous by absence in most of government and private healthcare, educational and sports organisations
Specialised healthcare of sportspersons is not a priority for the administration in this part of Malwa falling under Ludhiana and Malerkotla districts.
Sports medicine physicians and dieticians are conspicuous by absence in most of government and private healthcare, educational and sports organisations of the region.
Sportspersons, sports promoters and organisers of tournaments have urged the administration to explore chances of providing expert services in specialised healthcare at cluster, block or tehsil level and during sports events being organised periodically.
Justifying demand raised by enthusiasts, Dr Raj Pal Single, a veteran orthopaedic surgeon and an office-bearer of the local unit of the IMA said, “Healthcare workers acquainted with procedures and practices of orthopaedics must be present in the arena during sports activities.”
“Though it may not be immediately possible to arrange adequate numbers of sports medicine physicians at all educational and sports organisations, we can offer free services to these bodies as an orthopaedician is well versed with elements of sports medicine,” said Dr Single.
Pawan Sharma, a physical education teacher at a private senior secondary school, lamented that the authorities in schools had to seek emergency healthcare services on their own during active practice sessions of athletics and other field games.
“Services of a dietician are provided only for students participating in national level events,” said Sharma, maintaining that the situation was similar in government and private educational institutes.
Observations revealed that small injuries, inflammation and sprains were a routine affair and were normally handled by players or their teachers.
A student of a government school had suffered a major fracture during a district-level event held by the Education Department recently. In the absence of any arrangements by the administration, physical education teachers had to share the financial obligation of student’s major surgery at a private hospital then.
Arvind Maavi, president, District Bar Association, Malerkotla, and chairman, Ahmedgarh Sports and Social Welfare Association, alleged that successive governments had failed to provide adequate and special sports medicine healthcare facilities to sportspersons in educational institutes and sports academies.
“Unfortunately, players and athletes have to depend on the advice of unqualified practitioners in planning diet charts and healthcare schedules,” said Maavi, admitting that no sports medicine physicians were available for guidance and curative needs in case of sports-related injuries.
Residents demanded that sports medicine teams should be deployed by the government at various levels so that performance of the sportspersons could be improved, besides educating them (sportspersons) on injury prevention and enhancing rehabilitation.
Presently, organisers of sports events, managers of teams and the authorities in educational institutes have been using cold therapy solutions to reduce swelling and numb pains by applying sprays.
Musculoskeletal injuries including sprains, tears and strains are referred to orthopaedic surgeons and general practitioners.
