Home Blog Page 52

Focussed On Solution Based Higher Learning, To Make India Future-Ready

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

Here solving the big problems confronting India and the world will prevail over jurisdictional boundaries of academic departments and programmes. Creating an environment where interdisciplinary academic pursuits and cutting-edge research can reimagine and reshape the world of the future within a framework of human values is a cherished goal with which foundation of the science and technology university Plaksha, touted as a next generation university, was laid at the IT city in Mohali, on Sunday, by Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh.

To be spread over 50 acres of land, made available by the Punjab government right next to the Chandigarh International Airport, the university, promoted by a group of 40-plus Indian origin technology entrepreneurs, industry leaders and professionals from across five countries, will reflect its academic vision across three pillars – reimagining engineering education, enabling a research innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem and addressing grand challenges in India and the world.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

The university will also establish research centres to address some of the big challenges that India faces in urban mobility, sustainability, digital agriculture, factories of the future, health and education.

Collectively the partners, who are expected to grow in strength as the university takes shape, will be generating an investment of Rs 2,000 crore over 15 years. 

The design of the state-of-the-art university campus, being undertaken by American architect Aaron Schwarz, is nearly ready and construction is expected to start in a month or two. The first academic session is slated to begin in August 2021 with 500 students and 40-odd faculty on board. The entire project is expected to be completed by the year 2035, when the campus will have a capacity to enrol 8,000 students, to be trained by an army of 500 faculty members.

Plaksha has already entered into a MoU with SRI International (erstwhile Stanford Research Institute) to facilitate joint research with industry, and has entered into a Master Alliance Agreement with Purdue University. It is also in talks to partner with University of California, Berkley to help design and deliver the Plaksha Tech Leaders Fellowship 2019, details of which are expected to be announced shortly.

Articulating the vision of all co-founders of the university, one of the founders, and a former Executive Vice Chairman of Tech Mahindra, Vineet Nayyar, who spent his formative years in Chandigarh as an IAS officer, said, “As technology continues to deepen its impact on business and society, at Plaksha, we aim to create a playbook for 21st century technology education in India, a paradigm shift to an interdisciplinary education that reimagines the pedagogy, curriculum, faculty, culture and process of learning. In Mohali, we found the ideal destination for Plaksha and thank the Hon’ble Chief Minister for his support and encouragement.”

The academic advisory board of the university comprises eminent academic leaders from MIT, Princeton University, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, Purdue University, Harvard Business School and IIT Delhi.

One of the founding academic advisory board members Dr. S. Shankar Sastry, former Dean of Engineering, UC Berkeley, in a recorded interview run on the occasion, said, “It is a time of change in higher education and this effort cannot come at a better time. Plaksha is truly reimagining higher education. In successful institutions globally, it is very hard to make big changes. Having a clean slate opportunity is an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Highlighting a crucial aspect of the university, Manas Fuloria, co-founder Plaksha and CEO of software firm Nagarro, said, “New-age industries are relying on digital technologies to attain non-linear growth and gain competitive advantage. At Plaksha, we intend to foster an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship, where graduates will be nurtured by industry leaders and incubation sessions to innovate at the bottom of the stack to address real world challenges, transforming obligations to opportunities.”

Another founding group member Mohit Thukral, who is also co-founder and Managing Partner of Vivtera, while emphasising the commitment of the founders, said, “we are fully committed to the success of Plaksha and recognise our responsibility in nurturing graduates who aspire to leverage technology to lead organisations, create trailblazing ventures, undertake research and innovation to impact the world at scale and become role models of possibility, for India and the world.”

Expressing his views, Jamboree Education Managing Director Vineet Gupta, who is also co-founder of Ashoka University in Gurgaon, said the network of higher education in India is bigger than in any other country, but only one in four students go to college here as compared to 9 in 10 in South Korea. So if we are to even double the number of students going to college, that is 1 in every 2, then we will have to double or triple the higher education infrastructure. The private sector has to take the bulk of responsibility in this expansion drive, as is has already been doing with a 69% share in higher education, he added.

Singapore based Mission Holdings Chairman Saurabh Mittal expressed confidence that the university would go on to become even more innovative and bigger than the IITs, and would help lay the path for India to become a pioneering technology-driven economy. “If we can be instrumental in generating a thousand start-ups in the next decade we would have fulfilled our dreams,” he affirmed.

Chandigarh-based co-founder Sunny Singh, who is also CEO of RoundGlass, expressed confidence that the university would provide a huge impetus to Mohali and its emerging technology eco-system. He invited wider participation in the venture from Chandigarh-based business leaders.

The founding members of the university comprise business leaders from India, US, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong, and include Boston Consulting Group Asia Chairman Neeraj Aggarwal, Genpact Founder Pramod Bhasin, Warburg Pincus Special Limited Partner Dalip Pathak, Jamboree Education Managing Director Vineet Gupta, former Evalueserve COO Ashish Gupta, InfoEdge (naukri.com) Co-Founder and CEO Hitesh Oberoi, Royal Bank of Scotland Human Resources MD Anuranjita Kumar, Singapore based Mission Holdings Chairman Saurabh Mittal, Vivtera Co-founder and Managing Partner Mohit Thukral, Nagarro CEO Manas Fuloria, Memphis CEO Nitin Rakesh and Clix Capital Director Anil Chawla. The founders also include Chandigarh-based entrepreneurs Pranav Gupta, Karan Gilhotra and RoundGlass CEO Sunny Singh.

Why The Name Plaksha

According To Indian scriptures, the River Saraswati, synonymous with learning, originated from a ‘world tree’ called Plaksha.

 www.plaksha.org

Pure Fabric, Handcrafted Embroidery Hallmarks Of Rajni’s Trousseau

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

A PIO from Vancouver, holding dual citizenship of Canada and US, she was a medic in the making, having enrolled for MBBS in Government Medical College, Patiala, five years ago. God willed it otherwise, and a life-threatening medical condition turned her life around. She now finds herself living her childhood dream as a designer. A new chapter, scripted by her, quickly developed into an exciting book, driven by her passion. Young Rajni Gill Suyach unveiled that compilation titled “Raajiya’s”, an opulent designer studio specialising in trousseau wear in the posh sector 8 inner market, for a media preview on the eve of Republic Day.

“I am positioning Raajiya’s as tricity’s one-of-a-kind trousseau destination. My forte is trousseau ensembles. Brides to be and their family members can come in and pick out outfits for any occasion, all in one studio. We also customise cuts and embroideries as per client requirements,” Rajni told LifeInChandigarh.com in a one-on-one interaction.

Photos By : LifeInChandigarh

Her bridal collection has a range of shaharas, anarkalis, cape style gowns, Indo-Western gowns, bridal dresses, and more. “The USP of my designer wear is quality of fabric and handicrafts. I use 100% pure fabrics like crepe, silk, georgette and velvet. My team of 20 expert artisans create elaborate designs with embellishments, using embroidery materials such as ‘dabka’, ‘napa  dori’, ‘zari’, ‘cut dana’, ‘mukaish’, etc,” adds Rajni.

She also has 10 people working for her in the stitching department. The price tag starts from Rs 5,000 and goes up to Rs 3-4 lakh. Not just traditional and heavy work base outfits, Raajiya’s also has pieces which can be best described as ‘ethnic wear with a twist’. In this category, there is a wide array of fun and quirky outfits for the younger lot and regal wear for the classy ladies.

Sharing her thoughts about the bridal couture trends this wedding season, Rajni says, “We have had brides ask for customisations to add a special something representing their love story, which I find very personal. These tiny personal touches make the outfit entirely a bride’s own.”

Though not formally trained in fashion designing, Rajni feels that it is something which comes naturally to her. “I remember, even as a small girl of 7-8 years, I used to passionately follow the fashion, like I was mesmerised by what Kareena wore in ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gam’. I wanted that outfit with a cut up to the waist for myself.”

She is quick to add though that she does not believe in following trends. “I love to design what appeals to me most. Personally, I like soft colours with embroidery that is heavy, but at the same time not overstated. But to cater to the different tastes, I do use bold colours in my outfits.”

So, what does she have to say about the competition she would have to face. “My sickness, which left me paralysed for four months, gave me a chance to rethink my life. God blessed me with a new life, and I am now a stronger and more confident me. With my flair, and the unflinching support of my family and my husband, who designed Raajiya’s with me, I am sure I will carve a niche for myself. And not the least, the love and support showered on me by my existing clients, who patronised my Sector 5 home studio, is a source of immense strength to me,” she asserts.

Rajni is preparing to launch a summer collection by February end and a fresh wedding collection for the next wedding season. “I did design my husband’s outfit for our wedding and the reception, so maybe at a later stage I might start designing men’s wear as well,” she says, wrapping up the interaction.

Violence-Hit Women Now Have A Go-To Place In Mohali

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

A small room with a couple of tables and a few chairs, that’s about all that will suffice for a temporary “Sakhi: One Stop Centre (OSC)” within the premises of the Phase 6 Civil Hospital, Mohali which was on Saturday formally dedicated by Punjab Higher Education Minister Razia Sultana to women affected by violence in any form.

The OSCs, being opened across the country under a 100% centrally funded scheme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, are aimed at providing round the clock integrated range of services, including medical, legal and psychological support and assistance, to women affected by violence, all under one roof. The OSCs will be integrated with women’s helpline and other existing helplines.

Photo By : Life In Chandigarh

The Mohali OSC, later to be moved to a spacious premises, will have among others a centre administrator – the first point of contact for an affected woman, a case worker, who will support and assist the centre administrator in taking cases of violence against women to their logical conclusion, and a police facilitation officer, who will help the aggrieved women in initiating appropriate police proceedings against the perpetrators.

There will also be a paralegal personnel or lawyer, who will assist in end to end legal proceedings, a paramedic, who will provide first aid and immediate life-saving treatment and see the affected woman though hospital procedures, and a psychological counsellor.

The violence affected women, along with their children (girls of all ages & boys up to 8 years of age), will be provided temporary shelter at the OSC and arrangements will be made for their long term shelter in ‘swadhar greh’ or short stay homes managed or affiliated with the government or an NGO.

The OSC will also have the facility of teleconferencing by which, with the permission of concerned police and judicial authorities, aggrieved women can record their statement to the police or depose before the courts from the OSC itself.

The OSC scheme is intended to support women affected by violence, in private and public spaces, within the family, community and at workplaces. Women facing physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic abuse, irrespective of age are covered under the scheme.

Must Prevent Drug & Alcohol Abuse Inside Schools: Convenor Dr Chhaya

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

The scar left in my psyche, of being slapped by my aunt for wishing that, after two girls, the third child of my expectant mother should also be a girl child, hurts even today. That’s how a girl child is unfortunately still treated in Indian society, as unwanted, neglected, persecuted secondary members of the family, a fact which needs to be erased from our patriarchal minds if we really want an equitable and progressive society.

This frank admission of having been discriminated against as a girl child, coming from a noted pediatrician Dr Rekha Harish from Jammu, echoed in the minds of male and female paediatricians gathered at the launch of the women’s wing of the Chandigarh Chapter of Indian Academy of Pediatrics on Thursday.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

Dr Chhaya Prasad, well known developmental and behavioural pediatrician as well as adolescent health expert, who runs a counselling and guidance clinic for adolescents and parental skills, was installed as Convenor. The other core committee members installed were Dr Veena Parmar, Dr Inderjit Kaur, Dr Bhavneet Bharati, Dr Gunjan Baweja, Dr Jyoti Chawla, Dr Prabhdeep Kaur and Dr Shakuntla Lavasa. Three male pediatricians, Dr Rajiv Arya, Dr Jatinder Sharma and Dr Rahul Garg, were also included in the core committee of the women’s wing.

National Girl Child Day was chosen for the installation of the women’s wing to send across a strong message that the women’s wing will play an anchor’s role in sensitising the society, the establishment and even doctors towards the rights of children, especially the girl child, and initiating direct action to check their exploitation.

Dr Chhaya had her thoughts for possible inclusion in the action plan for the women’s wing ready. She told lifeinchandigarh.com that her priorities included prevention of drug and alcohol abuse among children as young as 9-10 years inside schools. Without taking names of schools for obvious reasons, she said it was in her knowledge that this was happening even in some of the most reputed schools. We have to break the nexus behind such activities in school, she asserted.

Another focus area for her was training of pediatricians in forensic medico legal formalities for reporting cases of sexual or other criminal abuse of children. She observed that currently knowledge about required examination, documentation and reporting of such cases was woefully lacking among pediatricians.

A third area which needed urgent attention was training of parents and teachers in positive parenting and teaching skills so that the children grew up with a balanced mental health. They must realise that authoritarian behaviour on their part adversely affected the mental health of children, Dr Chhaya emphasised.

Finally, she would like the women’s wing to work on health promoting programmes for children and prevention of neurological and behavioural disorders among them.

Mohali ASP Ashwini Gotyal, who was invited for the installation to sensitise the pediatricians on the salient requirement from them while dealing with cases under the POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, acknowledged that there was a general lack of awareness among the doctor fraternity regarding the provisions of the act. Reporting of crimes under the POSCO Act to the police is mandatory for all citizens, including doctors, when such cases come to their notice. Failure to report the matter is a punishable offence, she added.

The first duty of doctors when a case of suspected sexual assault against a girl child is brought before them is to provide them emergency care. In case of girls, examination or treatment is to be done by a lady doctor after taking consent of the victim. If victim is below 18 years of age, then consent of parent or guardian has to be taken. Reporting to the police has to be done just as in any other medico legal case. Clarifications can be taken by calling child helpline No. 1098.

If a girl child has reached maturity, the doctors have to ascertain whether the sexual assault can result in pregnancy, in which case immediate contraceptive measures are to be taken. Tests are also to be done for HIV infection. DNA profiling is also mandatory for which a standard format is available. 

While reporting the matter to the police, the attending doctors also need to clearly mention in detail whether the sexual assault had led to penetration or not and the health condition of the victim.

Regarding measures for prevention of drug abuse among vulnerable sections, including children, ASP Ashwini informed the gathering that the Punjab government in association with the Punjab Police had launched the drug abuse prevention officers (DAPO) scheme in March 2018 under which thousands of members of civil society had voluntarily registered as DAPOs and taken oath to do everything under their command to help rehabilitate addicts and motivate vulnerable youth to stay away from drugs.

Dr Rekha Harish, whose contribution in court ordered ban on sale of junk food in an around school across the country is well known, while hailing the launch of the women’s wing of the Chandigarh chapter of IPA expressed confidence that it will make a huge contribution in protecting the rights of children and safeguarding them against various forms of abuse.

Quoting figures to press home the point that female child continued to be discriminated not only among the less privileged sections of society but even the so called high society, she said the skewed sex ratio in South West Delhi was a case in point.

Countrywide, on an average only 14% of girls were able to complete their 12th standard. A recent study had shown that there were 2.10 crore unwanted girls in the country, which ranked a dismal 127th in the world in the gender equality index. Two-thirds of the children trafficked in the county were girls and 90% of the female children still did not have access to sanitary napkins.

Dr Rekha said her decades of experience in dealing with child patients had shown that of all the critically ill children admitted to hospitals, a vast majority were girls because of their prolonged neglect and undernourishment.

Harjinder Kaur, chairperson of the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Chid Rights (CCPCR), who was the chief guest, assured the commission’s full support to the efforts of the women’s wing. 

Eating In Standing Position Could Be Trigger For Colon Cancer

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

We all know that in most households our ancestors used to eat while squatting on the floor. Today we have got into the habit of eating while standing, in office canteens, fast food restaurants and at marriage and other parties. What we perhaps don’t realise is that the food we eat while standing travels faster in the digestive system than when seated giving little time for it to be broken down into smaller and smaller components, until these can be absorbed and assimilated into the body. Doctors have identified this as one of the possible reasons for increasing incidence of colon cancer, which was nearly non-existent in the country before the advent of modern India. Their hypothesis has also hinted at increased anal cancer being linked to greater societal acceptance of gay population.

This and many other noteworthy observations were made by senior doctors at a news briefing to announce a one-day National CME On Cancer Registries For Cancer Control to be organised at the PGI on Wednesday. The CME is being organised by the School of Public Health, PGI Chandigarh, in partnership with the World NCD Federation, Tata Memorial Centre Mumbai, Department of Health & Family Welfare Punjab, Health Department Chandigarh Administration and Indian Association Of Preventive & Social Medicine (North Zone).

The CME will highlight population based cancer registries (PBCR) as an effective tool to improve programmes and policies for cancer control. It will also accord an opportunity to medical personnel working in the public and private sector to improve their knowledge and orientation towards screening, diagnosis and management of common cancers.

To increase awareness about cancers, a public forum is also being organised at the fag end of the CME where cancer survivors and members of the general public will be able to get their doubts addressed from experts regarding prevention, control, management of cancers and myths circulating around them.

Addressing the media persons, Prof (Dr) JS Thakur from the School of Public Health at PGI informed that the PBCR, which has completed five years in Chandigarh, has shown that incidence of cancer among both men and women in the Union territory was higher than the national average (96.1 males per 1,00,000 population against national average of 92.4 and 104.7 females per 1,00,000 population against national average of 97.4). Same was the case in SAS Nagar (Mohali), he added.

The PBCR found breast cancer as the leading cancer in Chandigarh, SAS Nagar and Sangrur, while oesophageal cancer was the predominant cancer in Sangrur and Mansa PBCR. Cancers of the lungs and prostate were found to be predominant in urban male population.

Nationally, cancers of the oral cavity and lungs accounted for over 25% of cancer deaths in males. Similarly, cancers of breast and oral cavity caused 25% of the deaths in female cancer patients.

Prof (Dr) Rakesh Kapoor from the Department of Radiotherapy, asserted that at the first stage 80-85% cancers of head and neck, breast, prostate, cervical, uterus and colon were curable, but doctors were still struggling with cancers of the liver, oesophagus and lung, in which most patients reported to hospitals when their cancers were in the third and fourth stage.

Prof (Dr) Pankaj Malhotra from the Department of Internal Medicine shared that the treatments for multiple myeloma (a blood cancer related to lymphoma and leukemia) had also made much headway and patients were able to prolong their life by up to 10 years. As many as 15-20 percent patients also got cured, he added.

The senior doctors were emphatic in saying that timely screening and healthy lifestyles were the cornerstones in the fight against cancer. Mere modifications in sedentary lifestyles could help prevent primary cancers in most cases, they emphasised.

A final word of advice from the doctors: Practice of yoga, which strengthens the immune system, can help provide relief even after detection of cancer in patients, and regular use of traditional and natural antioxidants like haldi, adrak and lasoon in our meals can help keep cancer cells at bay.

 

Medical Fraternity Panicky Over Hostility All Around

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

We still address them as Doctor Saab! They continue to be a well respected community in our society. And yet they are feeling threatened from all quarters – the public, the government and the politicians. One gets a sense that the medical fraternity is in disarray, panicky over the hostility they perceive around them. This notion was reinforced by proceedings of the 5th Annual Conference of the Medicos Legal Action Group (MLAG) held at the IMA Complex in Sector 35 Chandigarh on Sunday.

Not only the theme of this year’s conference “Defending Doctors In The Era of Increasing Trust Deficit”, but also the crux of various talks by experts from around the country, like one on whether Nursing Homes will survive in today’s corporate and insurance driven healthcare, and another on alternative career options for doctors in India, seemed to paint an uncertain future for the once elite and one of the noblest professions.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

Even the chief guest for the day, Justice Ajay K Mittal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court underscored this dangerously deteriorating doctor-patient relationship, while tracing the genesis of the disconnect to the advent of corporate hospitals in the country. The increasing commercialisation of the healthcare sector had resulted in the communication between a healthcare provider and his clients becoming mechanical, which is the root cause of the public mistrust for the medical fraternity, he observed.

The rising litigious culture in society, signified by the wave of frivolous complaints filed in courts against health providers alleging medical negligence were worsening the relationship, even when the actual percentage of cases of medical negligence was very small, Justice Mittal added.

He, however, held out hope for reversing the trend, suggesting that besides laying down clear cut guidelines for clinical practice, there was a need to teach students of medicine empathy towards the patients and not just clinical behaviour. He also came out in support of mediation as a very good alternative to court litigation, asserting that it provided a win-win proposition for the litigants, the defendants and the courts.

Abolish PCPNDT Act

In a discussion following a talk on “Restrategizing PCPNDT Act” by Dr K Narsimha Rao, a practising orthopaedic surgeon, there was a strong demand from the doctors’ community,  supported by examples from across the country, for abolishing the Act since it had failed miserably in improving the adverse sex ratio in the country.

The recent Supreme Court guidelines on passive Euthanasia also came in for attack during another presentation on “Euthanasia, Living Will: Current Status In India” by Dr Gladstone D’costa from Goa, who described them as “crazy, and so convoluted and complicated that they were practically not implementable.”

Spurious & Substandard Drugs

In his talk on “Legalities And Implications Of Spurious Drug Use”, Dr Ashwani Setya, senior consultant and programme director at Max Saket, asserted that the problem of spurious or substandard drugs was so rampant in India that one-third of the total spurious drugs in the world were attributed to India, where one-fifth of the total pharma production was said to be falling in this category.

Quoting glaring examples of mass sterilisation deaths in Chattisgarh and eye infections during surgeries in Telangana, he said bulk purchases had resulted in government healthcare institutions becoming dumping grounds for spurious or substandard drugs. During the discussion that followed doctors pointed out that the problem of substandard drugs was also rampant in Jan Aushadi Kendras in government hospitals.

Meticulous Documentation Needed

Speaking on the subject “Mistakes Doctors Make Which Lead To Legal Trouble”, senior advocate of the Supreme Court and honorary director of the Institute of Medicine and Law Mahendra Kumar Bajpai emphasised the need for doctors to meticulously document even minute details of all significant events as they happen during the course of their medical practice to safeguard themselves against litigation at a later stage.

Quoting a case which led to the highest compensation ever due to medical negligence of Rs 12 crore being awarded against a Kolkata hospital, he informed that in the same case a Mumbai hospital got scot free due to their diligent paperwork.

Senior arbitration lawyer PC Markanda talked about alternative dispute resolution in medical malpractice through negotiation, mediation and arbitration. It was pointed out during the discussions on the subject that 90% of cases of medical negligence were settled outside courts in North America. But there was a word of caution as well with others counselling doctors to resort to out of court mechanism only under court supervision, otherwise it will not have any legal sanctity and would be counterproductive.

Delivering the MLAG Dr Laxmi Garg Oration on “Medico Legal Dilemmas Of Clinical Practice In India”, Dr Hitesh Bhatt, a medico-legal practitioner, in his humorous style, while quoting several examples, emphasised that in all situations, right to life will always take precedence over right to privacy in the eyes of the law.

Will Nursing Homes Survive?

Surprisingly, most doctors in the audience raised their hands when, beginning her presentation on the subject “Do Small And Medium Healthcare Establishments Have A Role To Play In Today’s Corporate And Insurance Driven Healthcare”, Dr Sangeeta Pikale asked how many of them felt that nursing homes are likely to close down. She, however, gave them heart saying that would not be the case if these small and medium medical establishments kept reinventing themselves and filled in the loopholes in their systems to meet the requirements of the evolving health insurance sector.

She suggested small hospitals to become the healthcare boutiques of tomorrow and revive their neighbourhood friendly doctor image to establish a separate identity for themselves. Bed strength of between 50 and 100 would be a lean model, proving to be most cost effective. They would have to be accessible, affordable and accredited. Their staff will also have to be up skilled to cater to all three categories of patients – minimally sick, moderately sick and terminally sick.

Small groups of such hospitals could form conglomerates by pooling their specialities or super specialities with common billing as was being done by some hospitals in Bangalore, she said, adding that home healthcare or dependent care was another potentially windfall area for them to explore as it is expected to grow phenomenally in the next five years or so. 

Dr Pikale advised medical facilities with 5 to 15 beds to close down and repackage themselves as specialised providers of preventive care or as centres of early diagnosis pickups or post operative care.

Earlier, making the first presentation of the conference on “Media Defamation Of Doctors”, Dr Satish Bhat from Mangalore while lamenting the failure of the medical fraternity to regulate itself as suggested by courts from time to time, felt that individual doctors and hospitals need to become proactive in recognising potential events which can cause adverse media publicity and remain accessible to the media to get their version across. Cultivating harmonious media relations does help in the long run, he added.

Should News Media Be Paid Off?

During a panel discussion on the dos and donts to be followed in handing cases of adverse media publicity and complaints of medical negligence filed in courts, moderated by chairman of the organising committee of the conference Dr Neeraj Nagpal, it was emphasised that every patient is a potential trouble-maker or litigant, so doctors should always remain alert to any eventuality.

Laughter followed a panellist describing the task of choosing a lawyer to defend a case akin to choosing a wife – very difficult!

There was unanimity that all small or big false claims should be contested because the reputation of an individual doctor or an institution is at stake. If multiple doctors are involved the defence should ideally be common.

Another question reflected the current state of affairs in the news media – should news media be paid off to suppress negative reportage? The answer was an emphatic no. The issue should be addressed on merit, came the prompt advice. 

The Doyen Of Neurology Inspired Generations Of Doctors

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

He was a stalwart in the field of neurology – a highly respected doctor and teacher, and a stickler for discipline and punctuality. Padma Bhushan Prof (Dr) Jagjit Singh Chopra, founder father of the Department of Neurology at PGI Chandigarh and founder-principal of the Government Medical College Hospital in Sector 32, passed away on Friday evening after remaining admitted in the trauma ICU of PGI Chandigarh for a month.

The who’s who of the medical fraternity and his admirers from all walks of life were in attendance at his funeral on Saturday.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

Earlier in the day, a condolence meeting was held at the PGI with present and former directors, heads of various departments, senior professors, PGI faculty members, administrative officials and resident doctors paying their respects to the doyen of the medical field.

Prof JS Chopra (84), who had suffered a stroke in 2016, had lost his speech but he made a remarkable recovery with his knowledge, expertise and perseverance. He leaves behind a son and a daughter.

In October 2017, the celebrated neurologist, who had a couple of hundred scientific papers and dozens of national and international awards to his credit, was conferred with the Life-time Achievement Award by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) at its XXIII World Congress at Kyoto, Japan. Being indisposed he himself could not travel to Japan and the award was received on his behalf. Later it was presented to him at a function organised by the PGI Neurological Society on the occasion of World Stroke Day.

Former PGI head of department of Neurology Prof (Dr) VK Kak and current head of the department Prof (Dr) Vivek Lal described Dr Chopra as a father figure who had inspired generations of young and upcoming neurologists.

Born in Lahore, and having completed his initial medical studies at Government Medical College, Patiala, Dr Chopra pursued his post graduation and Ph.D. in UK. He was the youngest Indian FRCP (Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians) in 1969. After working in various hospitals in UK, he joined the PGI as assistant professor and established the department of neurology in November 1968. He was gradually elevated to the post of professor and head of the department, which he held till his retirement in June 1995.

Dr Chopra was given the onerous responsibility of establishing another prestigious hospital in Chandigarh, GMCH-32, as its director-principal with additional responsibility of Secretary, Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh Administration, on deputation from PGI from 1991 to 1995. He did full justice to his assignment, and today his baby is ranked among the top 10 medical colleges in the country.

The noted neurologist trained many super specialists in neurology, most of whom are heading department of neurology at various establishments in India and abroad. He also trained many specialists in neurology for the armed forces. After his retirement, he remained Professor Emeritus at PGI and at the National Academy of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He conducted cutting edge research in diseases of muscles, peripheral nerves, stroke and infections of the nervous system in UK and India.

Dr Chopra was founder president of Indian Academy of Neurology and past president of Neurological Society of India. He was the first Indian neurologist to be selected Secretary General of a world congress of neurology at its XIV edition held in New Delhi in 1989.

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the President of India in 2008.

Fertility Programme Added To Mother-Child Success Story

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

Cloudnine Group of women, childcare and fertility hospitals marked the first anniversary of its Chandigarh centre with a gala ‘Pregnancy Feista’, claiming to have become, within a year of its existence, the private hospital hosting the highest number of would-be-mothers every month in the region. “We are currently hosting 60-plus mothers-to-be in the hospital every month and our success rate in handling deliveries and neonatal complications has been near 100%,” Dr Pawan Kumar, Regional Director (North) of the group, told media persons during a select interaction.

“Recently we also launched an in-house fertility programme in the Chandigarh hospital, and our fertility lab here has been recognised by visiting renowned fertility experts as the best among all hospitals in Chandigarh and Punjab,” Dr Kumar said, adding that the success of the fertility programme across the group hospitals has been 50%, which matches the international benchmark of success for this programme.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

The Bengaluru headquartered hospital chain already has 22 centres across seven cities – Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Gurgaon, Noida and Chandigarh. Looking at the huge potential of women, childcare and fertility centres in the country, especially in the North, the group is planning to add 3-4 more centres in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). “We are also looking at opening one in Ludhiana, which does not have a single organised setup in this category in the private sector,” Dr Kumar shared.

Founded by then Australia-based neonatologist Dr R Kishore Kumar in 2007 with three other co-founders, the Cloudnine Group of Hospitals is backed by marquee investors Matrix Partners, Sequoia India and India value fund advisors (TrueNorth).

Responding to the ongoing controversy over allegations of private hospitals seeking to mint money by recommending cesarean section over normal delivery, both Dr Kumar and Dr. Mahesh Hiranandani, Head of Pediatrics Department of the hospital in Chandigarh, maintained that though cesarean section procedure had become extremely safe, still the group had a clearly defined policy to encourage normal deliveries. Every caesarean section goes through an audit and doctors are rewarded for maintaining a high track record of normal deliveries. Going a step further, the group hospitals have the same charges for both normal and caesarean deliveries (around Rs 70,000 with a Delux Private Room) to remove the possibility of wrong doing in a doctor recommending a particular delivery method, going strictly by the best option in the case presented before him, they asserted.

Emphasising that a neonatal ICU (NICU) had become a near necessity in reducing infant mortality at childbirth, Dr Hiranandani said most deaths of newborns with complications or premature babies were caused by lack of adequate support and infrastructure with attending doctors. Referring of such cases quickly to NICU-equipped hospitals thus becomes critical for survival of the newborns, he added.

Giving examples of half a dozen premature babies with weights ranging from as low as 600 grams to 1.2 kg currently admitted to NICU in Cloudnine Chandigarh, Dr Hiranandani said the success rate in the 300-odd such cases admitted in their hospital so far, involving 1500 hours of NICU admission, has been 99.3%, which speaks for itself about the world class infrastructure at the hospital. “We have an ambulance, which is a mini NICU in itself, equipped with Rs 60 lakh worth of equipment, for transporting such extreme cases to our hospital,” he emphasised.

Referring to the fertility programme, Dr Pawan Kumar stressed that in most cases resolution of a couple’s distress over not being able to have a child starts with consultation from a good expert. IVF comes as a last resort, as most of the couples get relief with other modes of treatment. In case IVF is found to be the only option, a woman can conceive in three months’ time. The international benchmark success rate for IVF is 50%, and so it is at Cloudnine group hospitals, he remarked.

For assistance & appointment : 1860 500 9999

 www.cloudninecare.com

Focus On Artificial Intelligence, 3D Printing At Radiology Meet

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools are today providing radiologists a more insightful interpretation, adding value to medical reports that can have positive impact on patient outcomes. Hence the need for radiologists to embrace and master these new technologies for enhanced patient experiences through minimal interventions. Imaging analytics are allowing imaging studies to be screened for conditions like osteoporosis, coronary artery disease and abnormal fat deposition in the liver, which do not show any apparent symptoms.

These and many other issues and latest developments in the field of radiology are going to be discussed in an impressive gathering of specialists and super specialists from across the country and abroad during a four-day 72nd Annual Conference of Indian Radiological & Imaging Association (IRIA) being hosted by the Chandigarh chapter of the association and the Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging of PGI Chandigarh from Thursday.

Photo By : Life In Chandigarh

Sharing the information with media persons here on Wednesday, Prof (Dr) MS Sandhu, Head of Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, PGI Chandigarh, and Prof (Dr) Paramjeet Singh, one of the two organising chairmen of the conference, said the conference will also have a deep focus on 3D printing.

Besides well known radiologists from across the country, the line-up of international radiologists expected to participate include more than half a dozen alumni of PGI Chandigarh who are currently working with some of the most renowned hospitals of the world.

Among the star international radiologists expected are Dr Taylor Chung, a renowned pediatric radiologist and current President of the Society of Pediatric Radiologists, Dr Sanjay Gupta from world’s No. 1 cancer hospital MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, Dr Ajay Kumar Singh from another renowned hospital Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and Dr Rajeev Suri, renowned vascular interventional radiologist from the University of Texas.

The organisers said participants will get an opportunity to interact with experts and learn the art of performing specialised ultrasounds as well as image-guided interventions from them.

Sharing latest advances in the Department of Radiodiagnosis & Imaging at PGI Chandigarh, Prof Paramjeet Singh said the institute authorities have been generous in allowing the department to acquire the latest machines which have kept it in step with the technological advancements in the world. The recent addition of the cryoablation machine has made PGI Chandigarh the only hospital in the country to have the facility of this most modern machine.

Cryoablation uses image guidance to insert a needle-like applicator, called a cryoprobe, and liquid nitrogen or argon gas to create intense cold (nearly minus-150 degrees Celsius) to freeze and destroy diseased tissue, including cancer cells. It is generally used to treat a variety of skin conditions as well as tumours within the liver, kidneys, bones, lungs and breasts.

Scale Up Training Of Anganwadi Workers,Women Sarpanches To Speed Up Change: Maneka

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

Union Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Sanjay Gandhi on Monday formally inaugurated a 5th Regional Office of the central research, training, development and resource centre, NIPCCD (National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development) at Mohali with an impassioned call to scientifically scale up the training of anganwadi workers and women sarpanches to act as catalysts for accelerated development of women and children.

“Let the training of anganwadi workers be of a level that they are able to provide the same standard of pre-schooling as in any reputed private pre-school, and not remain confined to providing nutrition, as they have been all these 40 years of their existence,” she stressed, adding “so much so that people at all levels, who at present prefer to send their children to private pre-schools, incurring a heavy expenditure, are inspired to enrol them in anganwadis.”

Photos By : Life in Chandigarh

Taking a deep interest in the playing tools and other materials prepared by NIPCCD and on display in the Child Guidance Centre, the minister later in her address to the gathering was highly appreciative of the innovation shown by various resource persons of the institute. “Taking a round of the exhibits, I was amazed to find that at least 25% of these educational games were very new and exciting, worth patenting and distributing among the anganwadis, and selling in the open market,” she shared. She even hinted towards possibility of launching a company to sell such valuable products.

She appeared to be particularly charmed by ‘Akshar Mala’, a word building game in Hindi using blocks with alphabets written on all six sides prepared by a young female resource person Varuni Sethi under the supervision of her guide Parul Srivastav. “If fact, I would love to buy such a game for my granddaughter, too,” Maneka said.

Later talking to LifeInChandigarh.com Parul Srivastav gave full credit to the young resource persons being trained at the centre for their creativity, and said their contribution was particularly invaluable since the educational play material space was dominated by English language products, and hence of little interest to a vast majority of target audiences not familiar with the language.

The Union minister also wanted deep focus to be laid on training resource persons to enhance the abilities of children with special needs, especially in rural areas. Psychological conditioning of children who show signs of violent behaviour, isolation or other traits of concern is another area we need to concentrate on, she added.

Laying emphasis on spreading awareness among, and training women sarpanches in administrative, financial and technical matters, as also sensitising them to issues of social change, Maneka Gandhi observed that after implementation of 33% reservation for women in rural and urban local bodies (50% in some states) it had become imperative that they be geared to work independently, and not become pawns in the hands of their husbands or others, as was practically happening to a large extent.

If we are able to train them on small, simple things like money matters – how and from where funds can be sourced, how these are to be judiciously utilised, how to prioritise projects and marshal human resources, audit works and accounts, etc – we can empower them for accelerated development, she maintained.

A skit on the subject “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” amused the audience. The programme ended with an impressive ‘Swachhta Song’ sung by the young trainee resource persons of the institute. 

The Union minister also visited the “Women Of India Organic Festival 2019”, organised in Chandigarh for the first time by her ministry to encourage women in organic farming, and bought a few things for herself, including a lone remaining pack of an aromatic variety of rice from a sold out stall put up by Basundhara Susthaye Krishi Khamar, West Bengal. The well-received three-day festival concluded on Monday.

Not So Cool

Two sore points stood out during the inaugural function at the impressive campus of NIPCCD Mohali. Moving out of the building after taking a round of the facilities, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi noticed excessive use of concrete on the inner perimeter of the campus and gave a mouthful to the concerned officials. She wanted the concrete paver blocks to be removed and trees planted generously instead. “Work must be done quickly,” she ordered.

Another sore point on the campus of an institute focussed on positive change of mindsets and modern thought processes was the use of a string of vintage incandescent bulbs to decorate the entrance to its building in an age of LEDs.

1...515253...100Page 52 of 100

LIfe in chandigarh

About us

Anchored by a senior journalist, LifeInChandigarh.com is a digital endeavour, a news portal with a positive and progressive outlook, to keep you up to date with the latest developments as they happen in the Chandigarh tricity area.

Latest Articles

SBP’s Embassy Court In New Chandigarh Brings Renowned Italian Designer Brand Versace Homes

Market Watch 0
Limited edition 5 BHK 7-star opulent living spaces (5300...

Chandigarh Tricity’s Most Luxurious Salon Looks Privé Opens In HLP Gallerria Mall Mohali

Lifestyle 0
Looks Salon Group, one of India’s largest chain of...

Tech, Performance Driven Two-Wheeler EV Brand Ultraviolette Unveils Product Range In Chandigarh

Market Watch 0
Completely home bred brand to open state-of-the-art S3 experience...

Most Popular

SBP’s Embassy Court In New Chandigarh Brings Renowned Italian Designer Brand Versace Homes

Market Watch 0
Limited edition 5 BHK 7-star opulent living spaces (5300...

Chandigarh Tricity’s Most Luxurious Salon Looks Privé Opens In HLP Gallerria Mall Mohali

Lifestyle 0
Looks Salon Group, one of India’s largest chain of...

Tech, Performance Driven Two-Wheeler EV Brand Ultraviolette Unveils Product Range In Chandigarh

Market Watch 0
Completely home bred brand to open state-of-the-art S3 experience...

Subscribe

Copyright 2023 Life In Chandigarh All Right Reserved.