Chennai doctors give new lease of life to Afghan

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedSep 7, 2019, 3:19 am IST

I feel like I have been born again.

Patient Ahmad Ulla Poya flanked by his uncle Mohammed Poya and Dr K.M.Cherian

CHENNAI: For Ahmad Ullah Poya, now 28, of Afghanistan, life was not a bed of roses. After escaping the Taliban, he was working as a school bus driver when he was transferred to Karachi, Pakistan in 2014, due to the threat of the Taliban.

However, life did not get any better for Ahmad in Pakistan as he was soon diagnosed with 'Shone's complex', a rare congenital heart disease, consisting of multiple left heart obstructive defects. After he failed to get treatment in Pakistan, he turned towards India. With his uncle's help, a building construction contractor, based in Melbourne, Australia, he got in touch with Ms Florence Gough who recommended Dr K. M. Cherian, CEO and Chairman of Frontier Lifeline Hospital, Chennai. He had had to face difficulties in obtaining a visa. Nephew and uncle landed in Chennai on 15th August and Ahmad's surgery was successfully performed on August 25. He is now doing well, informed doctors at Frontier Lifeline Hospital.

"I feel like I have been born again. I can never thank Dr Cherian for all that he has done for me. He's given me back my life and every little thing that I feel now, feels new to me. My heart is beating and sometimes I place my hand on it to see if it is real, because all this feels like a dream. The people here, my doctors -

Dr Anto and Dr Ayyappa, have been so supportive throughout the surgery and after it. The nurses and each and every other staff member has given a lot of priority to my uncle and I," said an emotional Ahmad after surgery.

"Ahmad has been through a lot and it is very unfortunate that he had to encounter such difficulties. With the success of this surgery, he not only has another shot a life but also the chance to live a healthy one," said Dr.Cherian, who drafted a letter to the visa officer at Afghanistan on his behalf. Ahmad's next check up has been scheduled six months from now.

A few years ago, two Afghani children, Zamzama and Zarif underwent cardiac surgeries at Frontier with the help of Seema, a UK-based citizen and Dr Cherian.

Woman’s plea against Kilpauk hospital for transfusion of HIV+ blood rejected
When the matter came up for hearing last week, Kumar told Justice P D Audikesavalu that the government had constituted a panel, which conducted a detailed enquiry on the complaint of the petitioner.

Published: 07th September 2019 05:09 AM |

For representational purposes

By Express News Service

CHENNAI : Accepting the arguments of Additional Advocate-General A Kumar, the Madras High Court has rejected a plea from a pregnant woman, who alleged that HIV-contaminated blood was transfused to her when she went to the Government Hospital in Kilpauk for a medical check-up and sought to punish the doctors, including the Dean, besides payment of compensation towards damages.


When the matter came up for hearing last week, Kumar told Justice P D Audikesavalu that the government had constituted a panel, which conducted a detailed enquiry on the complaint of the petitioner. The panel came to the conclusion that there was no evidence to prove that the petitioner – S Vedavalli (28) of Mangadu near City – had contracted the HIV infection secondary to the blood transfusion performed at the KMC hospital.

In fact, she was detected to have already afflicted the disease for the first time at the KMC hospital alone and was provided all necessary treatment and ensured that she gave birth to a healthy baby. Her child was also given necessary treatment to prevent HIV infection and now the child is free from any infection. Hence, the judge dismissed the writ petition.

University of Madras revokes admission of Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle leader

The student Kirubamohan T, currently pursuing a course in MA Buddhism at the University, said the administration cited "non-possession of eligibility certificate" as the reason for revocation of admis

Published: 05th September 2019 10:19 PM 

A protest organised by Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle at Madras University premises (File Photo | P Jawahar, EPS)

By PTI

CHENNAI: Some students of the University of Madras on Thursday protested against the revocation of admission offered to a student allegedly for "organising protests" in his capacity as secretary of Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, a student group, during a course he pursued at the university previously.

The Vice-Chancellor P Duraisamy, Registrar R Srinivasan and Head of the Department of Philosophy M Venkatachalapathy could not be reached for comments.

The student Kirubamohan T, currently pursuing a course in MA Buddhism at the University, said the administration cited "non-possession of eligibility certificate" as the reason for revocation of admission.

He said it has been a month since he started attending classes.

"But my HOD told the administration had problem with my association with Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle and for organising protests during my previous course, MA Journalism, from which I graduated in 2018," he told PTI.

During admission, he said he was informed that an eligibility certificate would not be necessary as he had been a student of the university.

Terming it a "flimsy" reason, a political science student and member of APSC Valarmathi, who took part in the protest, said there were many students who continued attending courses without the eligibility certificate.

"This is an attempt to gag voices of politically-active students on the campus," she said.

DMK President M K Stalin condemned the move saying "The party condemns such acts that are intended to crush freedom of expression and right to education that are in accordance with the Indian constitution."

Kirubamohan said he has sought intervention of Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K P Anbalagan and Principal Secretary Mangat Ram Sharma into the issue.

Upload staff vacancy by Sept 20: UGC

It mandated universities and colleges to initiate and complete the selection process to fill up vacant posts within a period of six months.

Published: 07th September 2019 05:05 AM 

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed universities and affiliated colleges to upload details of staff vacancies and recruitment process on the University Activity Monitoring Portal (https://www.ugc.ac.in/uamp/) by September 20. In June, the UGC has come up with guidelines for recruitment of faculty in universities, colleges and institutions deemed to be universities.

It mandated universities and colleges to initiate and complete the selection process to fill up vacant posts within a period of six months. It also asked colleges to follow the selection process as per their acts and statutes in accordance with the UGC Minimum Qualification for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and other measures for maintenance of standards in higher education regulation 2018.

The guideline also said that the Human Resource Development Ministry and UGC will monitor filling up of vacancies and directed higher education institutions to upload details of vacant posts and reservations on the portal.

It may be noted that the UGC had earlier asked universities and colleges to upload the details of all vacant posts, along with the reservations and advertisement details, on National Higher Education Resource Centre website.

PC’s day one in Tihar jail: Walking, reading, porridge & visit from son

New Delhi:07.09.2019
After a restless night spent on a wooden plank in his prison cell, former Union minister P Chidambaram began his day in Tihar jail on Friday with a walk in the courtyard, some reading and then a meeting with his son Karti, sources said.

The senior Congress leader, who was taken to Tihar on Thursday evening, remained on edge the entire night, they said. His morning, which began with a walk in the jail courtyard and a light breakfast of tea and porridge at 6am, was spent reading religious scriptures and the day’s newspapers, they said.

Later in the day, the senior Congress leader got a visit from his son. His advocate was also expected to meet him. The veteran politician, who is lodged in Jail No.7 which usually houses those accused in Enforcement Directorate cases, asked for a cot to sleep on but will get it only after a medical examination by a jail doctor finds he needs one, sources said.

The Congress leader, who was also the home minister during UPA-2, was sent to judicial custody for 14 days on Thursday in a corruption case related to the INX Media group. Chidambaram, who will be 74 on September 16, could well spend his birthday in jail if he doesn’t get bail before that.

He has been given no special facilities, except a separate cell and a western toilet as specified by the court, prison officials said. Like other inmates, he has access to the prison’s library and can watch television for a specified period. Before being given his cell, Chidambaram underwent a mandatory medical checkup. His son Karti was also lodged in this cell for 12 days in the same case last year. PTI

Cong leaders not allowed to meet PC
New Delhi:

A team of Congress leaders which went to meet former finance minister P Chidambaram in Tihar Jail on Friday was denied permission to meet him.

The jail authorities told them that only Chidambaram’s family and his lawyers were permitted to meet him.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had delegated party leaders Mukul Wasnik, P C Chako, Tamil Nadu MP Manickam Tagore and Avinash Pande to visit Chidambaram in jail.

The leaders who went in the afternoon were, however, turned away.

On Friday, the former finance minister was allowed visits by his son Karti and his lawyers in the afternoon.

Chidambaram was sent to judicial custody for 14 days for his alleged involvement in the INX Media corruption case, a charge he has denied. — Swati Mathur

Rajini’s daughter loses luggage at Heathrow, recounts ordeal

New Delhi:07.09.2019

Superstar Rajinikanth’s daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth has raised concerns about passenger security and safety at airports and in flights after a harrowing experience she faced at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Soundarya and her husband Vishagan Vanangamudi lost their luggage at the London airport as they waited at a lounge for their chauffeur. She took to Twitter to share her ordeal.

“How secure are passengers and their belongings at an international airport? Our hand luggage got stolen on 1/9/19 at the Heathrow airport Emirates chauffeur lounge as we waited for our car. We immediately filed a complaint with the local Heathrow patrol. We were asked to wait to hear back from the cops via email,” she wrote slamming the airlines.

“The next day we received an email from them that the CCTV cameras in the Emirates chauffeur lounge were faulty and didn’t record anything on the day of the theft. This is shocking and absolute irresponsibility from the airline and airport we trust as International passengers. We lost valuables and my husband lost his passport. This has been a very traumatic experience,” added Soundarya, known for helming films such as “Kochadaiiyaan” and “VIP 2”.

Raising question about the safety assurance of the passengers, she said: “Authorities and airlines should be accountable! This should not happen to us and certainly should not happen to anyone else.” IANS

Kerala doctor quits IMA panel over silence on doctor’s detention in J&K

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Thiruvananthapuram:07.09.2019

Upset over the studied silence of the Indian Medical Association’s national leadership against the detainment of Dr Omar Salim in Jammu & Kashmir, a Kerala doctor quit from the IMA’s national standing committee. However, the IMA has condemned his stand and said that a team of IMA will be in Kashmir in the coming week to meetthedetaineddoctor tofind out the real facts of the matter.

Dr K V Babu from Kannur resigned from the national standing committee on media of IMA on Thursday. Dr Omar Salim of government medical college, Srinagar was detained by armed forces, alleging that he had talked to media. He was released on August 28.

However, the national leadership of the IMA has objected to the claims made by Dr Babu. “The IMA has a state unit in J&K andwewereunabletocontact them due to communication hurdles. If we want to react on an issue, first, we will have to know what exactly happened. For this our team is reaching this region this week and will be meeting the doctors there. Only then can we give a clear picture,” said IMA secretary general Dr R V Ashokan.

Dr Babu said despite several pleas made to the national leadership,they were not ready to come out in support of the doctor. “Hence, I felt there is no point in continuing in the standing committee on media of the IMA. I have no voice to speak to the media now when the leadership itself has taken such a stand. I cannot justify the detainment,” said Dr Babu.

Earlier, the IMA national leadership had come out in open against The Lancet editorial which flayed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The editorial had said, “Militant presence raises serious concerns for the health, safety, and freedom of Kashmiri people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi vows that his decision to revoke autonomy will bring prosperity to Kashmir. But first, the people of Kashmir need healing from the deep wounds of this decade-old conflict, not subjugation to further violence and alienation.”

Dr K V Babu from Kannur said despite several pleas made to the national leadership, they were not ready to come out in support of Dr Omar Salim of government medical college, Srinagar, who was detained by armed forces, alleging that he had talked to media