78 beneficiaries get artificial limbs

Tiruchi:A beneficiary being guided on the use of an artificial limb in Tiruchi on Sunday.For 53-year-old G. Baskar of Puthur in the city, a congenital abnormality made life miserable. Born without both legs, he has been forced to live with wooden limbs which, because of their weight, do more harm than good.“We were not aware of the availability of light-weight artificial limbs until we reached the artificial limb fitment camp held in the city last week,” says his wife, Gandhimathi.The camp was organised jointly by Rotary Club of Tiruchi Midtown, Rotary Club of Coimbatore Midtown, Sri Gopaldass Kikani Limb Centre and the Tiruchi Naidu Mahajana Sangam. Measurements for making the limbs for each disabled person were taken during the camp by the mobile artificial limb unit of the Sri Gopaldass Kikani Limb Centre.

In all, 78 beneficiaries, including 14 women and three children got the artificial limbs on the conclusion of the camp here on Sunday.“More than the disability and the ordeals it causes, lack of awareness on advanced artificial limbs has been a major impediment in getting relief,” observed B. Kannan, district chairman of Rotary Club of Coimbatore Midtown, which has started the Sri Gopaldass Kikani Limb Centre to exclusively serve such people.The Rotary International had donated US $ 30,000 to the Limb Centre in 2000 for making and donating the limbs in coordination with the Rotary clubs in South India. The next camp would be held in Mannarkudi on August 11.The president of the Rotary Club of Tiruchi Midtown, P. Mahendrakumar, said that most beneficiaries had lost one of their legs in mishaps. They were also trained in the use of the artificial limbs.The service projects chairman of Rotary Club of Tiruchi Midtown, D. Thirunavukarasu, said that the beneficiaries eked out their livelihood by engaging in some trade. The former district governor, J. Sambabu, presented the artificial limbs to the beneficiaries.

Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital now at Ashok Nagar

Actor Vikram with Joint Managing Director of Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital Amar Agarwal at the opening of the hospital’s Ashok Nagar centre on Friday.Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital inaugurated its latest centre at Ashok Nagar on Friday amidst plenty of fanfare and a large dose of star power. Actor Vikram was the chief guest at the event.Joint Managing Director of Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital Amar Agarwal said, “The idea behind [establishing] these centres is to provide a place in the neighbourhood where high quality eye care will be available. We realised that having only one hospital down Cathedral Road was not enough… ”

The new centre will be a secondary eye care centre with facilities for the simplest of glass treatment to blade free laser treatment. “We have opened 10 centres so far and our target is to open 25 centres by the end of this year,” he said. The new centres would mean that everybody need not come to the main branch for treatment.The Ashok Nagar centre, set up at a cost of Rs.5 crore has three permanent doctors and will be open throughout the week between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Speaking on the occasion, Vikram said the most important thing about the hospital was its accessibility. “The centre has all facilities under one roof. The fact that more of them will be coming up around Tamil Nadu is definitely a good thing,” he said.Also present at the event were film producer Dhanu and Ashok Nagar Councillor K.S. Mani.

A health camp of Southern Railway

A medical team of Southern Railway examining an employee on the platform at the Thiruthuraipoondi station.A train that the Tiruchi Division of Southern Railway operated on July 28 and 29, between Tiruvarur and Karaikudi, showcased its compassion for the employees.The special train that functioned as a mobile health camp was Southern Railway’s attempt at catering to the health and well-being of the employees posted at the stations en route.

A team of doctors of the the Goldenrock Railway Hospital screened their family members, too, on the train which also presented an exhibition highlighting the safety measures the public ought to take, especially when they cross unmanned level crossings.The exercise benefited 423 employees and their families at Mavur Road, Tirunellikaval, Alattambadi, Tiruthuraipundi, Tillaivilagam, Muthupet, Adiramapattinam, Pattukottai, Peravurani, Ayingudi, Aranthangi and Kandanur Puduvayal.

One hundred and thirty-three people, who were suffering from asthma, diabetes, heart problem, blood pressure, eye defects and dental defects, were referred to the Railway Hospital.Divisional Railway Manager R. C. Jat, who travelled in the train along with the senior officials, visited the staff quarters in all the stations to find out the requirements of the residents.
He directed the officials to fulfil their needs.

Hospital’s free orthognathic surgery project

Chennai:The hospital attached to Sri Ramachandra University in Porur will now perform free facial bone deformities (orthognathic) surgery for cleft lip palate.The surgery, costing around Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 80,000, will be done at the Plastic Surgery Department. The patient will be admitted to the general ward only.The project will be supported by Smile Train, a U.S.-based charity organisation. It is already supporting the hospital’s free cleft lip and palate surgeries, V. R. Venkataachalam, Chancellor said on Tuesday.The hospital has tied up with Smile Train to provide Rs. 1,000 to 2,000 each to the families of patients unable to bear the costs of travel and stay.

Free eye camp

Vellore:A total of 2,065 persons, comprising 1,030 men and 1,035 women, were treated at a free eye treatment-cum-Intra-Ocular Lens camp organised by the Vellore District Blindness Prevention Society, Rotary Club of Ambur, Farida Social Service Organisation and the Good Samaritan Eye Hospital, Matrapalli at the Hasnath Girls Higher Secondary School in Ambur on Saturday.

A total of 151 persons were selected for cataract surgery. Steps were taken to provide free spectacles to 895 women and 923 men. A.M. Ikram, Assistant Commandant General, Tamil Nadu Home Guards, Vellore Range was the chief guest. Ophthalmologists T.A. Senthilnathan, N. Sathyaraj Nesan and Vinodhini, Secretary of the Rotary Club of Ambur G. Venkatesan and others participated in the camp.

Workshop on brain modelling inaugurated

The brain runs on about 60 watts of power. To make an electronic simulation of the human organ would require a computer the size of India and cost about US $ 30 billion annually for electricity alone, said Henry Markram, Director, Centre for Neuroscience and Technology, EPFL, on Thursday.He was speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop on brain modelling organised by the Waran Research Foundation (WARFT) here.

Dr. Markram is part of the prestigious Blue Brain project, described as the “first comprehensive attempt to reverse-engineer the mammalian brain in order to understand brain function and dysfunction through detailed simulations.” According to bluebrain.epfl.ch, this is “a project to create a biologically accurate, functional model of the brain using IBM’s Blue Gene supercomputer” that would “help us explore solutions to intractable problems in me ntal health and neurological disease.”Nuclear physics, for instance, hardly involves experiments anymore, as they can be simulated. Life sciences, though, are yet to see simulation-based research. The power of such a brain model would be to provide a new foundation for medicine. It could be used to trace the course of disease or the consequences of a drug, he said.

The WARFT established a Chennai-based Centre for Advanced Research in Brain Modelling and Super Computing to encourage undergraduate students and professionals in science and engineering to look at this fascinating field of research.“The much-hyped information technology boom is drawing away students from research,” rues N. Venkateshwaran, who is called ‘Professor Waran’ by his students. He established WARFT as a non-profit scientific research organisation in 2000. With students displaying a marked aversion to pure sciences, he expressed the hope that the multi-disciplinary nature of brain modelling would encourage them to choose areas of interest within it.

The workshop will feature panel discussions and lectures from eminent people in the field. More than 200 students are expected to participate.K. Kasturirangan, Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, inaugurated the workshop. He said the workshop would give undergraduate students an idea of the methodology of thinking and writing a research paper.N. Ranganathan of the University of South Florida said that some 70 per cent of engineering graduates from the institution were Indian, and that the American government was spending a lot of money to encourage students to take up research.

Mosquito density to be monitored online

To prevent the outbreak of vector-borne diseases like chikungunya, health officials have decided to use information technology for monitoring the density of mosquitoes in all districts.A software has been developed in association with the National Informatics Centre to study online the profile and virulence of mosquitoes from a centralised system.

“Officials at the district level will post the data on a website. The launch of this online monitoring mechanism is planned for July 12. As of now, the Health Department gets records by post. The new system will help in instant access to information,” Director of Public Health P. Padmanabhan told.According to Dr. Padmanabhan, the online system will be a strategic move to contain the spread of vector-borne diseases, especially when cases of chikungunya are being reported in neighbouring Kerala.District Malaria Officers will constantly monitor the mosquito density and update the website.The State-wide statistics will help officials initiate preventive measures when the density crosses the ‘critical level.’

KMCH soon starting hospital at Erode

Erode:Kovai Medical Care Centre and Hospital Limited (KMCH) will soon start a 125-bed speciality hospital in Erode.Nalla G. Palaniswami, chairman and managing director, told presspersons here on Wednesday that the hospital would provide specialised care in interventional cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery, pulmonology and nephrology and urology.

In support of the above-mentioned fields, allied departments like a full-fledged, hi-tech laboratory, blood bank with component therapy, etc would also function in the hospital.The hospital was fully equipped to perform angiograms, angioplasties, open heart surgeries, valve replacements and procedures for congenital heart diseases.Dr. Palaniswami also said that 15-bed intensive care unit, two hi-tech operation theatres, air-conditioned rooms, single rooms, semi-private rooms and general ward would be available for in-patients.The inauguration of the hospital at 15 Palaniappa Street is on July 8.

‘Doctors with a heart’ programme launched

Chennai:On the occasion of Doctor’s Day on Sunday, the Confederation of Indian Organisations for Service and Advocacy and Udhavum Ullangal jointly launched two programmes to provide quality healthcare to the poor and children.The ‘Doctors with a heart’ and ‘Ekam’ projects envisage promoting health and hygiene, medical assistance in times of disaster, mobilising doctors for community service, helping government in health programmes, conducting seminars to raise awareness among doctors about community service, providing medical care and coordinating with non-government organisations involved in healthcare. Under the ‘Doctors with a heart’ project, healthcare centres for the needy would be established at Tirusoolam, Maligaipoo Nagar slum in Adyar and a slum in K.K.Nagar.

‘Ekam’ will cover 136 orphanages and day care centres in Chennai with support from corporate houses and non-government organisations. Paediatricians, nutritionists and yoga instructors will form part of the team. ‘Ekam,’ which has tied up with hospitals for treatment of diseases at subsidised costs, will foot the bill.The fourth edition of K.S. Sanjivi awards presentation was also held on the occasion. CIOSA founder trustee K. Pandiarajan said the awardees were selected for their social work.The award includes a laser-etched trophy with the figure of Dr. Sanjivi and a citation detailing the awardees contribution. This year’s award went to eight doctors from across the country. Two institutions were also honoured for their work in the area of healthcare.

The eight awardees are: North Chennai-based general physician S. Jayachandran, Pazhaverkadu-based diabetologist Juvva Adishesha Rao, ophthalmologists Mohan Rajan of Chennai and R.V. Ramani of Coimbatore, Mumbai plastic surgeon Atul Shah, paediatrician V. Narayanan of Attappady tribal block in Palakkad, Kerala, Aishwarya Bhujangarao, a paediatrician working with HIV+ women and children in Andhra Pradesh and orthopaedist S. Muthuraman of Tenkasi.

Siddha medicines to tackle chikungunya

Chennai:The State government has decided to distribute two Siddha preparations through its primary health centres in border districts to prevent the viral infection chikungunya, said Health Minister KKSSR Ramachandran on Saturday.The decision comes following successful experiments in two villages in Kanyakumari, where the villagers were given the medicines as a preventive measure after reports that some people in other neighbouring villages had contracted the disease, the Minister told reporters. Over 24,000 people were afflicted with the disease last June, when the disease was at its peak in the State, he said.

Earlier, C.N. Deivanayagam, chairman, Scientific Advisory committee (siddha) held a discussion with M. Naganathan, vice chairman, State Planning Commission, Mr. Ramachandran and Health department officials.Dr. Deivanayagm said Santhigiri Siddha Medical College in Kanyakumari had provided the medicines — Amukura (botanical name: Withania Somnifera) and Nilavembu (Andrographis Paniculata) – to the villagers as a preventive measure for seven days.Those who had been afflicted with chikungunya were given the medicines for 10 days as curative therapy. The medicines have no side effects, he said.

In two days, they will be distributed to all government hospitals, including primary health centres in Coimbatore, Theni, Tirunelveli, Dindigul, Dharmapuri, Kanyakumari, the Nilgiris, Virudhunagar, and Chennai. Chennai district had been included as it is a transit route for visitors from Karnataka and Kerala.According to the Health department officials, the per person cost of medicines is Rs. 40 for the entire treatment.“We have enough stock at Tamil Nadu Medicinal Plant Corporation. If there is a shortfall, we will buy from the Indian Medical Practitioners Cooperative Pharmacy and Stores and other private companies,” he said.

FP operation theatre was commissioned

Vellore:A family planning (FP) operation theatre was commissioned in the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Odugathur on Thursday. Sterilisation was performed on five women on the first day itself.According to S. Rajasekharan, Deputy Director of Health Services (DDHS), Vellore, the Odugathur PHC was one of the five PHCs for which the district administration had sanctioned a sum of Rs. 6 lakh from the Collector’s Development Fund for the establishment of FP operation theatres. The other four are the PHCs in Ussoor, Timiri and Moodhur and the additional PHC in Pallikonda.

Similar operation theatres were already in existence in the PHCs in Ponnai, Punnai, Lalapet, Puduppadi, Kaniyambadi, Banavaram and Anaicut. The PHC would be functioning round-the-clock with four doctors with an eight-bed special labour ward and a 30-bed family planning special ward-cum-general ward. It benefited a population of 10,995 coming under the jurisdiction of the health sub-centres in Thongumalai, Jardhankollai and Palambattu.

Siddha dispensary at Collectorate

A Siddha dispensary is functioning at the District Collectorate campus here on every Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Special Siddha treatment is provided to diabetes, cancer, blood pressure, obesity, Asthma and other ailments, an official release here said.

CMCH implemented bilateral cochlear

Vellore:John Mathew, Professor of ENT, CMCH, Vellore, displaying the cochlear device at a press conference on Tuesday. Rupa, Head of the Department of ENT is also in the picture. The Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, became the first institution in the country to perform a bilateral cochlear implantation, when the cochlear device was implanted in a 22-month-old baby by John Mathew, Professor of ENT of the CMC Hospital on May 14.

Briefing newspersons about the implantation, George M. Chandy, Director of the CMCH, said that Dr. John Mathew and Rupa, Head of the Department of ENT, developed this surgical procedure in the last few years that would enable children with congenital deafness to hear like normal persons if diagnosed and treated early.

The cost of a bilateral implant (implant in both ears in a single sitting) was Rs.13.4 lakh as against Rs.6.5 lakh for a unilateral implant (single ear). The high cost and the fact that it was not indigenously available was a limiting factor in giving this type of treatment. India should, therefore, go in a big way to manufacture the devices indigenously to bring down the price and make it available to the common man, he said.

Dr. Mathew, who performed the implantation with a U.S.-manufactured device, said that the Defence Research and Development Organisation was currently engaged in developing a cochlear implant that would be cheaper than the imported one. The ENT Professor said that the child on whom the first bilateral cochlear implant was done last month had congenital deafness. Bilateral cochlear implantation could improve the quality of hearing in many and could provide significant advantages over unilateral implantation.

"The important benefits are better hearing in the presence of background noise and improved sound localisation (directional hearing). In young children such as the child who was implanted, the other important reason for considering a bilateral cochlear implantation will be the fact that a child's auditory system is more plastic (flexible) than that of an adult. Providing sound input to both ears in a young deaf child assures that sound is processed through both sides of the brain.
Thus, the right and left auditory cortices will develop in a more normal sequence. Hence, after a bilateral cochlear implantation, considering all other factors are conducive, this child will have a very high chance of developing like a normal hearing individual."

Dr. Mathew said that the child would need rehabilitation for about six months to one year depending on its improvement. An audiologist and speech therapist would be aiding the child during the rehabilitation process. Learning to hear, listen and speak could be a long process.For someone, who had been without sound for a significant period or a child who had never heard, it takes sometime for the brain to become accustomed to the linguistic stimulation provided through the cochlear implant.By creating a stimulating listening environment and interacting with the recipient in spoken language, parents could help to develop and enhance the learning process.

SR started health campaign

Dindugal:Health workers spraying anti-malaria spray at Dindigul railway station on Monday.Health officials of Southern Railway have started campaigning among passengers at Dindigul railway station on precautions against chickungunya, a viral fever, here on Monday.A team of doctors gave tips to passengers on how to protect themselves from the viral fever. A similar campaign was also on among Railway staff and their family members.

Passengers and Railway staff were advised to clean overhead tanks, earthen pots, cement tanks and all water storing structures and vessels periodically. They were told to maintain the area around the house dry and clean.They also explained the symptoms of the disease. Doctors intensified the campaign on Malaria fever.Meanwhile, Railway health unit workers sprayed pesticide on stagnated water and near toilets and on tracks to contain spreading malaria. Doctors P. Velusamy and K. Jagadeesh Kumar briefed the passengers about chickungunya and malaria.An exhibition was held at the railway station.

11 accident relief centres @ Nellai

Tirunelveli: Sri Sakthi Hospitals, which is running eleven accident relief centres on highways in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts, plans to open its 12th facility with ambulance at Maanur, about 16 km from here, on the highway to Sankarankoil.The Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli, N.K. Senthamaraikannan, would inaugurate the facility at 7.30 a.m. on June 10, the chief doctor of Sri Sakthi Hospitals, S. Venkatesh Babu, said here on Saturday evening.

Apart from equipping the ambulances with all required facilities, including cervical collar and leg splint, drivers of these emergency vehicles had been trained in dealing with accident victims, he added."They've been thoroughly trained in diagnosing fracture, the technicalities involved in shifting the injured children and the aged from the accident spot, rushing them to the hospital within the `golden hour,' maintaining and using equipment in the ambulance," said Dr. Venkatesh Babu.He has designed and developed the Rs. 850-worth aluminium leg splint, weighing about 1 kg.Public can call 94863 10000 to avail the ambulance facility free of cost, he said.

98,000 people benefited in medical camp

Salem: Over 98,000 people had benefited in 100 special medical camps organised under the Varumun Kappom scheme in the district so far.A release from Deputy Director of Health J. Nirmalson said doctors had recommended 5,394 persons for further treatment to Salem Government Medical College Hospital so far.Allopathic medicines worth Rs. 5.21 lakh and siddha medicines worth Rs. 97,883 had been distributed to the patients free of cost during these camps.

The health personnel conducted ultra sound scanning, echocardiogram and other tests using modern equipment.A total of 8,830 persons underwent HIV test in these camps. Of them, 74 persons were tested positive and recommended for further treatment to the Salem Government Hospital. They were also given counselling.Tests to find haemoglobin count, sugar and cholesterol levels in blood were also held during these camps, the release said. The 100th special camp was held at Olaipatti Middle School in Taramangalam block recently.

The health department organised the 101st camp at Neikarapatti Government School near here. Veerapandi MLA A. Raja inaugurated the camp. Sweets were distributed to the doctors and paramedics for successfully conducting 100 camps under the scheme.The scheme was implemented with the objective to provide quality healthcare to all the people.Treasury officials should treat the pensioners respectfully, Joint Director, Treasury department, Annathurai has said.Participating at the pensioners grievances redressal day meeting here on Friday, he said that officials should adopt humane approach while redressing the grievances of the pensioners. They should conduct enquiries after having the pensioners seated comfortably. Mr. Annathurai instructed the officials to take steps to process the grievance petitions without delay.

Brachytherapy unit installed @ CMC

Vellore: The High Dose Rate (HDR) remote afterloading brachytherapy unit — a system of cancer treatment using radioactive sources within or close to a tumour with the help of a computer — was inaugurated by Public Works Department Minister Durai Murugan at the Christian Medical College Hospital here on recently.Inaugurating the unit, Mr. Durai Murugan said that this unit was a boon to cancer patients, doctors and paramedical staff involved in the treatment, since it targeted the radiation directly at the tumour without damaging the nearby tissues, while offering protection to the staff against the exposure to radiation.

While appreciating the services of the CMC for providing highly advanced treatment for various diseases, the Minister deprecated the practice of some hospitals and doctors in fleecing the patients by making them undergo unnecessary tests. He requested the CMC Hospital to provide the poor the quality care that it provided to the rich.Subhashini John, Head of the Department of Radiotherapy, CMC Hospital, said that in the HDR Brachytherapy unit, the radioactive sources were placed directly at the place that had to be treated.Bringing a highly radioactive source near a tumour by hand was a dangerous activity. Remote "afterloading" (inserting the radioactive source into the applicator) was the solution to this problem.

As the source could be brought very close to the tumour, and more than one catheter could be placed close or inside the tumour, the radiation was very effective. Sources were automatically retracted, whenever required for patient care, and reinserted after each interruption. Radiation monitors were installed with visible and audible alarm, and the patient could be monitored via remote closed-circuit television camera and intercommunication devices.The CMC Hospital received about 2,500 new cancer patients every year. Thirty five per cent of the patients got free treatment, she noted.George M. Chandy, Director of the CMC Hospital, welcomed.Rabi Raja Singh of the Department of Radiotherapy introduced the chief guest. Selvamani of the same department proposed a vote of thanks.

Medical camp @ Nellai

Tirunelvali: A medical test being conducted at Tirunelveli Railway Hospital on Wednesday. The Tirunelveli Railway Hospital at the railway junction here organised a medical camp exclusively for the women members of the families of railway employees on Wednesday.

As many as 77 women attended the camp, which mainly concentrated on ensuring health of pregnant women, detection of breast cancer, ailments relating to menstrual cycle and uterus.Senior Divisional Medical Officer and gynaecologist, S. Yasodha, examined the women. Samples were collected from 19 persons to be sent for biopsy. Two cases were referred to the Railway Hospital in Madurai for specialised treatment, the Senior Divisional Medical Officer, Tirunelveli, A. Sukumar, said.

Veterinary camps in each panchayat union

Tuticorin: Similar to the `Varumun Kappom' medical camp, the Department of Animal Husbandry will organise veterinary camps in each panchayat union every month to ensure the health of livestock, the Minister for Animal Husbandry, Geetha Jeevan, has said.She was inaugurating a veterinary dispensary at Karungulam on Tuesday.

Ms. Jeevan said that the proposed camp would be of great help to the farmers in and around Karungulam and adequate stocks of medicine would be maintained.The Collector, R. Palaniyandi, said that a range of examinations would be conducted at the new dispensary.The Sattankulam MLA, Rani Venkatesan, the Regional Joint Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, P. Wilson, and the Assistant Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, T. Natarajan, spoke.

New student health scheme introduced

Tambaram: S.C.S.Matriculation Higher Secondary School and Parvathy Ortho Hospital, both in Chromepet, have joined hands for a `Students' Health Scheme'.School correspondent V. Santhanam said the management would remit an amount of Rs.50 per student every year to the hospital. The sum would not be taken back in any form from the student.If a student sustained an injury, he would be taken to the hospital, where the students' medical expenses to the tune of Rs.25,000 per year would be borne by the hospital, he said.

S. Muthukumar, director of the Parvathy Ortho Hospital, said all the 1,000-odd students of the school would be enrolled. Suggesting that the model be extended to other schools, he said each student would be issued a health identity card.A headmistress of a government higher secondary school near Tambaram said teams from Primary Health Centres and private hospitals visited government schools and conducted periodical checks. If a student got injured, teachers would contribute. Otherwise, the entire burden would be the parents.State secretary of the Students Federation of India G. Selva said the government should share the burden of parents whose children were injured."It is very common for students to miss the crucial examinations due to ailments. The situation is worse in government schools in rural areas," he said.