College Of Nursing, CMC, Ludhiana

Alumni Day celebrated

Ludhiana, College of Nursing, CMC, Ludhiana celebrated Alumni Day. The induction ceremony was started by word of prayer followed by presentation of mementos and badges to the new members. Prof. (Mrs) Ponnamma R. Singh, Principal, College of Nursing welcomed and introduced the Chief Guest Prof. (Mrs.) H. Asha Emmanuel.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest laid importance on the association. Senior members of the profession felicitated the new alumni members. Alumni news letter was also released at this occasion. The program was ended with a variety of entertainment.
It was a home coming for many of the senior alumni members. The scientific session on "Evidence Based Practice” was chaired by Prof.Mrs Triza Jiwan 

CPI, AITUC and PPP on budget

The Union Budget:A strange string of announcements: PPP
In his budget speech, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee quoted a line from William Shakespeare’s seminal play, Hamlet- The Prince of Denmark. , “ I must be cruel only to be kind,” he said, suggesting that it is time for the government to take tough actions to ensure a better future. But his actions were in dissonance to his words. The Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was a strange string of announcements that made all the right noises about the problems faced by Indian economy, but was woefully inadequate in terms of policy measures to control these problems. Let us start from inflation. Over the past many months, almost all the top leaders of UPA government have admitted that common man deserve relief from the unconscionable levels of inflation that we have seen in the past 3-4 years. But despite this, the Finance Minister, increases the Excise duty by 2 per cent. Not only this, he extends the scope of service tax. All these enhancements are going to be passed on to the final consumer, and will fuel the inflation to further heights.  Amidst such circumstances, the minor income tax reliefs that the finance ministers seems to have offered appear to be a cruel joke.
By not controlling inflation, the government wants the common man to struggle to eke out a living, but on its own it continues to live at unconscionably high expenditure as is shown by the humungous government debt which close to 46 per cent of country’s GDP. Even when saddled with this monstrosity, there is no attempt to mend by the UPA government to mend its ways. The fiscal deficit is in excess of 5 per cent, way beyond the permissible limit of 2 per cent. Once you include the fiscal deficits of our profligate states, than we are staring at a figure that would reveal that India is on a precipice of debt disaster that can have catastrophic consequences for the economy. So basically India is facing a situation where we are saddled with the two most critical problems of a modern economy i.e. high inflation and high deficits. Add to it the political pusillanimity which has become a hallmark of the UPA government. With such a deadly cocktail in offering, it is obvious that foreign investors are not going to savour the prospect of coming to India (leave aside the Foreign Institutional Investors). With no investment coming in green field projects, I fail to see, how can the finance minister be hopeful of attaining GDP growth levels of 7.8 per cent.
Such talk is nothing but political sophistry aimed at diverting attention from government’s own inadequacies. The UPA government seems to develop cold feet on many of the initiatives it itself had pursued with great gusto initially. Mr Mukherjee’s speech today was resoundingly silent on Direct Tax Code as well as on any road map to implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Increase in disbursal of credit to agriculture is welcome but government has again been found wanting in ensuring the proper distribution of this credit. Independent researchers have shown the politicians have used this agriculture credit scheme to further their own objectives. Data shows, that the agriculture credit is disproportionately high in the constituencies of influential politicians and inadequate in areas where there is a dire need of funding.
There have been no reliefs or incentives for small scale manufacturers and even the sunrise sectors of biotech, IT, telecom and media- which have largely fuelled India’s growth in the last few years. There is in incentive for capacity expansion, which means, that fewer jobs would be created but that India’s economic growth would continue to buoyed by consumption. While consumption is an important facet of economic growth, an overlying importance of consumption instead of investment to fuel economic growth can be problematic. This problem is further exacerbated if the country is passing through a crisis of high inflation. Unfortunately, we are witnessing both consumption led growth as well as high inflation. It is staggering that the government led by an eminent economist, has chosen to do nothing about it.
This is against the interests of the workmen-AITUC
Com O P Mehta Secretary All India Trade Union Congress, Ludhiana and Com D P Maur – Secretary Joint Council of Trade Unions Ludhiana has criticized the union finance minister for decreasing the interest rate on the Employees Provident Fund from 9.5 to 8.25%. This is against the interests of the workmen who have minimum saving from this. He warned the government to revoke this decision otherwise face stiff opposition from the working people.
CPI Ludhiana unit termed the budget to be inflationary 
The Communist Party of India Distt. Ludhiana has termed the budget to be inflationary as increase in the service tax and the excise duty will lead to increase in the burden on the people. Marginal increase in the tax slab exemption is a mockery with the people as it no where meets the price rise during the last year. There is marginal increase in the health budget which will not meet the health care needs of the people as a minimum of 6% of the GDP is needed from the public spending to give basic minimum health care to all. No policy in employment generation and security of jobs has been defined. Agriculture section has not got the attention due to it. Decision to raise Rs. 30,000 crore  through disinvestment is against the interest of the nation and the working people. statement was issued by Asstt. Secretary Dr Arun Mitra and City Secretary Ramesh Rattan.                      

NARAIN KATARIA from New York

Reasons for the disasterous decimation of 
Nehru-Gandhi dynasty in UP elections   
March 13, 2012
Anti-Hindu attitude of the UPA Government led by Sonia Gandhi, their blind appeasement of the Muslims in India, torture and arrests of Hindu  saints and leaders and the multi-billion dollar scams of its key ministers in government -  all these factors contributed heavily to the humiliating defeat of The Dynasty this month in the Utter Pradesh state elections.
Now the details:
1.     Sonia Gandhi’s insidious attempt to draft the “Communal Violence Bill 2011” with help of the Islamists and Leftists was clearly viewed by the country’s large Hindu population as malicious in content and designed to destroy the Hinduism in India.
2.     Home Minister P. Chidambaram had openly equated the dangerous Islamic terrorism in country with the patriotic efforts of Hindu groups, which he labeled the “Saffron terrorism” or “Hindu terrorism.” Such mindless efforts from the government side deeply antagonized the one billion Hindus who had quietly decided to get even at the election time.
3.     The openly undemocratic and blatantly highhanded crushing of the Baba Ramdev’s peaceful protest at Delhi’s Ram Leela grounds with a brutal force of 5000 Delhi policemen on orders of the Congress Party leaders had angered many Hindus. The arrest and tortures of patriotic Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, Colonel Purohit, Swami Aseemanand and others had convinced the Hindu leaders to take action and get rid of the perpetrators of the injustice. UPA Government’s obstinate refusal to come up with a fair and effective Lokpal Bill for catching corrupt politicians in country also added fuel to the fire.
4.     The UPA government is so terribly frightened of the Islamic terrorism in country that it dare not take any strong action against. Additionally, it has ignored the sufferings of seven lakh Kashmiri Hindus and overlooked their genocide, ethnic cleansing and expulsion from the land of their ancestors.
5.     Hindu girls are kidnapped everyday not only in Pakistan but also in India and are converted to Islam. They are then forcibly married to Muslim men and the Congress Party government watches it all shamelessly. Minority Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh are already living in a state of Islamic subjugation and savagery. In December last year, 250 Hindus had left their homes and hearths in Pakistan and sought asylum in India.
6.     On the top of that, the UPA government’s sinister attempt to arbitrarily increase the quota of government jobs for Muslims taking away a share of OBC has angered the Hindu Society. In order to appease the Muslims for votes, the government avoids taking action on Afzal Guru who was ordered to be hanged by Supreme Court of India for his heinous crime of attacking the nation’s Parliament in 2001. All these crimes against the country made Hindus very unhappy.
7.     UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s son Rahul Gandhi is known to nurse a deep hatred against the Hindus. He considers the patriotic, peaceful and law abiding Hindus to be more dangerous for India than the internationally known Pakistani terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba. The young crown prince is reported to have told the United States ambassador Timothy Roemer that the growth of 'radicalized Hindu groups' could pose a bigger threat to the country.
8.     Under the UPA dispensation, the term secularism has turned into an euphemism for Hindu-bashing and Muslim-appeasement. Even though the country’s Hindu population is over 83%, Hindus are treated as the second class citizens and their voice is gagged.
9.     Thank goodness that the great men like Baba Ramdev, Dr. Subramanian Swamy and the freedom-fighter Anna Hazare are currently playing a big role in exposing the corruption in high places. They have taken up the important task of educating the masses and bringing back the billions of dollars of Indian money stashed in the foreign and Swiss accounts.
10.                         -The Congress party leaders like Digvijay Singh, Salman Khurshid, Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi are busy protecting the criminals in government and covering their sins. These people have proved to be ineffective and totally uninspiring to the masses.  They probably believe that just by doing the Bhashan-bazi (giving lectures), they would be able to fool the country’s voters.
With the huge electoral loss of the Sonia-Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party in the UP elections, an old popular Bollywood song has once again come alive, “ jhumka gira re Bareli ke bazar mein.” It points out that the Dynasty has lost in a big way in the market place of Rai Bareli where their party was badly routed even though the region was their stronghold in the past.
We believe, in the upcoming national elections of year 2014, the world will witness the spectacle of rapid and inexorable rout of Sonia Gandhi and her cronies. In those elections, the corrupt ruling politicians and their buddies will suffer cataclysmic consequences for their egregious violations of Hindu Human Rights. 

Population based stroke registry survey

Objective of the study is to find the burden of stroke
Ludhiana, 14th March, 2012 (Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria)

Photo courtesy: Lourdes

The department of neurology at Christian Medical College is conducting a “Population based stroke registry survey” sponsored by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). This is a unique project being conducted in the country only in the city of Ludhiana under the HOD, Depttof Neurology, CMC&H. The burst of development, evolving socioeconomic status and wealth in the city has led to change in lifestyle, increased stress affecting the health of residents. The risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases, alcohol consumption etc lead to stroke in the form of brain attack, paralysis, brain hemorrhage. In this national program, information about all the first stroke patients that occur in Ludhiana city, is being collected from August 16th 2010 onwards.

The objective of the study is to find the burden of stroke, stroke types and risk factors for stroke in Ludhiana city. The data collection is done from city birth and death division, selected health care institutions and scan centers.

The Deptt of neurology, CMC offers free check-up and blood test to stroke patients whose information could not be collected because, due to some reason, they received treatment outside of Ludhiana. The stroke should have occurred after August 16th 2010 and should be a first stroke with patient being above 18years of age. To seek appointment regarding the same you can contact Dr.Jeyaraj D.Pandian at 9915784750; Dr.Shweta Jain:9855334242; Ms.Gagandeep mehmi:7837743961; Mr.Amber sharma:7696575767. 

Growing crisis in school education may lead to revolt

The crisis is bound to grow further manifold in coming days
Ashok Agarwal Lawyer & Social Activist

Middle Class is forced to send their children to English Medium Fee-Charging Private Schools as they are convinced that there is no future of their children in Poor-Quality Government-run schools. Most glaring fact is that even those manning (Teachers and other Officers) Government-run schools are also sending their children to these private schools as they are equally convinced that there is no future of their children in their own Government-run schools.
In the back drop of the constitutional right of every child to free education, the middle class is forced to part with nearly 35% of its hard earned income in providing education to its children through private schools. It is not out of free will. Allow admissions in Kendriya Vidyalayas to all their children and then find within next 48 hours that more than 50 percent of the parents withdrawing their children from the private schools and sending them to KVs. However, it is not happening due to deliberately designed anti-people, unconstitutional, arbitrary and discriminatory laws and policies of the Governments. The unjust, arbitrary and exorbitant fee-hike every year by the private schools has put the middle class in great financial difficulties as it is becoming un-affordable for them. The middle class is agitating all over the country on this issue but without any solution in sight and therefore, the crisis is bound to grow further manifold in coming days.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act, 2009) has provided limited opportunity to the children belonging to disadvantaged group and economically weaker sections to receive free elementary education in recognized private schools to the extent of 25% of seats at the entry level class. It has certainly raised high aspirations among the poor and disadvantaged people to get their children educated in English Medium Private Schools. However, such aspirations for most of them would be elusive as all the children are not going to get admission in these schools. It is already resulting in growing unrest among them.
On one hand, for various reasons, the demand for quality government schools is increasing among the masses and on the other hand, Governments have miserably failed to meet the same. It is all resulting in growing anger among the masses. It is manifest from the agitations being resorted to by the parents and the students demanding their right to quality school education in different parts of the country.
All the parents sending their children to private or government schools are the victims of the present education system cleverly designed to exploit them in one way or the other.  Growing unrest among the common people is seen as a hope for change.
Contact at juristashok@gmail.com

Annual Convocation of DD Jain Memorial College

385 Graduates were awarded the degrees

Annual Convocation of Devki Devi Jain Memorial College was held on March 10, 2012. Dr. C.S. Meena hon’ble Joint Secretary, UGC was the chief guest of the function. 375 Graduates of Arts, Commerce, Computer Applications, M.A.(History and Hindi), M.Sc.(IT) & PGDCA were awarded the degrees. 18 students made the institution proud by registering their names in the book of Roll of honour for their excellent performance in various fields. Mrs. Surinder Dua, officiating principal of the college in her annual report highlighted the achievements of the students in different fields during the session 2010-11 and appreciated the role of teachers and management in the success of the college.
Dr. C.S. Meena, in his convocation address congratulated the pass outs and wished them a bright future. He emphasized the role of education in women empowerment and advised the graduates to feel proud of whatever role they choose to play in life whether it is that of a professional or a home maker.
He further said that UGC sanctions many grants and has introduced various schemes for the benefit of women who are interested in pursuing higher studies. Dr. Amarjit singh Dua, Former Dean College Development Council GNDU, Dr. S.P. Singh Former Vice Chancellor GNDU, Ms. Param Saini, a renowned Clinical psychologist were the guests of honour. Samaj Rattan Sh. Hira Lal Jain, Chairman, Sh. Kedar Nath Jain, President, Sh. Raj Kumar Jain & Sh. Shanti Saroop Jain, Sr. Vice President, Sh. Sheetal Kumar Jain, Vice President, Sh. Bipin Jain, Secretary, Sh. Arvind Kumar Jain, Joint Secretary, Sh. Shiv Desh Bandhu Gupta, Manager (Jain Girls Sr. Sec. School), Sh. Surinder Kumar Jain, Manager (D.D. Jain Memorial College for Women), Sh. Yogesh Kumar Jain, Manager (Atam Devki Niketan), Sh. Amrit Lal Jain, Member Advisory Board, Sh. Yogeshwar Jain, Sh. Naresh Kumar Jain, Sh. Prem Kumar, Sh. Ajit Kumar Jain, Sh. Sachin Jain, Sh. Satinder Jain and other worthy members of managing committee graced the occasion with their benign presence. (Report:Rector Kathuria// Photos:Sanjay Sood)

Annual Convocation of CMC & Hospital

Convocation of 4 CMC Colleges held on with traditional grandeur

Ludhiana, 10th March, 2012 ( Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria)
 Annual Convocation of Christian Medical College, Christian Dental College, College of Nursing and College of Physiotherapy, Ludhiana was held on 10th March 2012 with traditional grandeur today in the College Campus,       Prof. (Dr.) S.S. Gill, Vice Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot was the Chief Guest. He said, “At the outset, let me thank the Institute for inviting me here to participate in this memorable occasion and to distribute the Convocation credentials to merit holders. Your profession is prestigious, with ample scope for growth. You are part of the educated class that society looks up to, for guidance and awareness. On this convocation day, I wish all the young Doctors & Nurses the very best in life and a wonderful future with achievements and I wish they should also treat the poor people.
It is always a pleasure to visit CMC & Hospital and I am delighted to be here with the younger generation of doctors and nurses today. Christian Medical College has a long tradition of pursuing excellence in teaching and research in science. He also appreciated the Christian Medical College & Hospital for its exceptional services in the field of Medical.

Dr. Abraham G. Thomas, Director CMC & Hospital welcomed the gathering, Dr. S. M. Bhatti, Principal administered the Hippocratic Oath to the Graduates and Postgraduates. Fifty five Medical Graduates 25 Postgraduates were awarded the degrees.  Students excelling in various academic activities were awarded Prizes and Medals by the Chairman, Governing Board, CMC Ludhiana.   Geetika Gera, Sebastian Marker, Asha Thomas, Devki Verma, Cynthia Sarah Mathews,  Shrutika Gupta,  Jenni Mariam George, Jibi John , Jincy Mariya Paul were the prominent prize winners.  Dr. Midhila Baby won the gold medal for best intern while Dr. Shubdha Garg was awarded Dr. Jaswant Kaur Gill Memorial award for best outgoing medical resident and Dr. Supriya Sen was awarded Dr. Abraham G.Thomas award for the best outgoing resident in Surgery.  Overview of faculty achievements was presented by Principal, Dr. S.M..Bhatti. The Association of Medical Alumni awarded Life Time Achievement award to Dr. Patience Williams. Dr. V. K. Satija Award for best Clinical Teacher went to Dr. Nitin Batra while batch of 1976 Excellence in Teaching Award went to Dr. Bobby John. Rejul K Raj was awarded Alumni Prize for best all-round graduate.
58 B.Sc. Nursing graduates and 23 M.Sc. Nursing post-graduates awarded the degree on 36th Annual Convocation. Gurwinder Kaur B.Sc. Nursing 1st year, Damanpreet kaur B.Sc. Nursing 2nd year, Navpreet Kaur B.Sc. Nursing 3rd year, Shefali Singla B.Sc. Nursing 4th year secured 1st position in the college.  Gigi M.George secured first position in B.Sc. Nursing Aggregate. Amrinder Kaur M.Sc.Nursing 1st year and Sukhbir Kaur M.Sc.Nursing 2nd year stood first in the College.  Sukhbir Kaur ranked first in M.Sc. Nursing Aggregate. Special prizes were awarded to Shefali Singla for Best Community Health Nurse, Twinkle Mary Paul & Gigi M.George for Best Bed Side nurse and Achsah T.Thampi was awarded for the All Round Best Student Nurse. Pro.Mrs. Ponnamma R.Singh, Principal, College of Nursing congrats all the students.

Dr. Abi M. Thomas, Principal, Christian Dental College presented the college report.  There were 40 BDS and 4 MDS graduates to receive their degrees.  5 students received gold medals.  In the report he highlighted the achievements of the faculty and students in the last year.  Ms. Ashima Razdan was topper in the final Professional BDS examination.    The overall pass percentage in the University examinations for the third and final year BDS was 100%.As part of the goal oriented education, all our students are committed to serve an area of need after their graduation.   At present 35 graduates of Christian Dental College are working in different parts of the country and one at Liberia, West Africa.  The dental students council actively supported the administration in coordinating different programmes.    The Principal highlighted that there were 22 scientific paper presentations, 13 poster presentations, and 22 scientific publications in national and international journals were done by our students and faculty in the last year. 

Dr. Kim Mammen, Associate Director, CMC proposed the vote of thanks.

Annual Convocation of CMC & Hospital

Convocation of 4 CMC Colleges held on with traditional grandeur

Ludhiana, 10th March, 2012 ( Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria)
 Annual Convocation of Christian Medical College, Christian Dental College, College of Nursing and College of Physiotherapy, Ludhiana was held on 10th March 2012 with traditional grandeur today in the College Campus,       Prof. (Dr.) S.S. Gill, Vice Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot was the Chief Guest. He said, “At the outset, let me thank the Institute for inviting me here to participate in this memorable occasion and to distribute the Convocation credentials to merit holders. Your profession is prestigious, with ample scope for growth. You are part of the educated class that society looks up to, for guidance and awareness. On this convocation day, I wish all the young Doctors & Nurses the very best in life and a wonderful future with achievements and I wish they should also treat the poor people.
It is always a pleasure to visit CMC & Hospital and I am delighted to be here with the younger generation of doctors and nurses today. Christian Medical College has a long tradition of pursuing excellence in teaching and research in science. He also appreciated the Christian Medical College & Hospital for its exceptional services in the field of Medical.

Dr. Abraham G. Thomas, Director CMC & Hospital welcomed the gathering, Dr. S. M. Bhatti, Principal administered the Hippocratic Oath to the Graduates and Postgraduates. Fifty five Medical Graduates 25 Postgraduates were awarded the degrees.  Students excelling in various academic activities were awarded Prizes and Medals by the Chairman, Governing Board, CMC Ludhiana.   Geetika Gera, Sebastian Marker, Asha Thomas, Devki Verma, Cynthia Sarah Mathews,  Shrutika Gupta,  Jenni Mariam George, Jibi John , Jincy Mariya Paul were the prominent prize winners.  Dr. Midhila Baby won the gold medal for best intern while Dr. Shubdha Garg was awarded Dr. Jaswant Kaur Gill Memorial award for best outgoing medical resident and Dr. Supriya Sen was awarded Dr. Abraham G.Thomas award for the best outgoing resident in Surgery.  Overview of faculty achievements was presented by Principal, Dr. S.M..Bhatti. The Association of Medical Alumni awarded Life Time Achievement award to Dr. Patience Williams. Dr. V. K. Satija Award for best Clinical Teacher went to Dr. Nitin Batra while batch of 1976 Excellence in Teaching Award went to Dr. Bobby John. Rejul K Raj was awarded Alumni Prize for best all-round graduate.
58 B.Sc. Nursing graduates and 23 M.Sc. Nursing post-graduates awarded the degree on 36th Annual Convocation. Gurwinder Kaur B.Sc. Nursing 1st year, Damanpreet kaur B.Sc. Nursing 2nd year, Navpreet Kaur B.Sc. Nursing 3rd year, Shefali Singla B.Sc. Nursing 4th year secured 1st position in the college.  Gigi M.George secured first position in B.Sc. Nursing Aggregate. Amrinder Kaur M.Sc.Nursing 1st year and Sukhbir Kaur M.Sc.Nursing 2nd year stood first in the College.  Sukhbir Kaur ranked first in M.Sc. Nursing Aggregate. Special prizes were awarded to Shefali Singla for Best Community Health Nurse, Twinkle Mary Paul & Gigi M.George for Best Bed Side nurse and Achsah T.Thampi was awarded for the All Round Best Student Nurse. Pro.Mrs. Ponnamma R.Singh, Principal, College of Nursing congrats all the students.

Dr. Abi M. Thomas, Principal, Christian Dental College presented the college report.  There were 40 BDS and 4 MDS graduates to receive their degrees.  5 students received gold medals.  In the report he highlighted the achievements of the faculty and students in the last year.  Ms. Ashima Razdan was topper in the final Professional BDS examination.    The overall pass percentage in the University examinations for the third and final year BDS was 100%.As part of the goal oriented education, all our students are committed to serve an area of need after their graduation.   At present 35 graduates of Christian Dental College are working in different parts of the country and one at Liberia, West Africa.  The dental students council actively supported the administration in coordinating different programmes.    The Principal highlighted that there were 22 scientific paper presentations, 13 poster presentations, and 22 scientific publications in national and international journals were done by our students and faculty in the last year. 

Dr. Kim Mammen, Associate Director, CMC proposed the vote of thanks.

Therapist Uses Art to Help Troops Heal

The center provides treatment, recovery, rehabilitation and...
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

Creative arts therapist Melissa Walker offers a wealth of supplies to service members to complete their art projects in the Healing Arts Program at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Walker developed her program to help those with psychological health issues and traumatic brain injuries. DOD photo by Terri Moon Cronk 

BETHESDA, Md., March 8, 2012 - An art therapist is using the power of creativity to help service members heal from traumatic brain injuries and psychological health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

Melissa Walker designed the Healing Arts Program at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence on the campus of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center here. She is the program's sole art therapist, and also serves as its coordinator. The program aims to help the recovering service members find a creative haven where their buried post-war thoughts and emotions can come to the surface through art and therapy.
With gentle encouragement from Walker, active-duty troops create their way to healing. By working on their art projects in a personal manner, they confront the circumstances of their injuries and begin to overcome the uncertainty they might feel, she said.

"What's bothering them runs the gamut of that moment in time: ... the frozen trauma, the frozen memory. They can't seem to shake what they've internalized," Walker said.

Service members with psychological health issues and traumatic brain injuries create an endless variety of designs on papier-mache masks to help them clarify their thoughts and sense of self, art therapist Melissa Walker said. Their designs vary from their war experiences to picturing themselves as healing while undergoing treatment at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. DOD photo by Terri Moon Cronk.Download screen-resolution                                    Download high-resolution

The center provides treatment, recovery, rehabilitation and, sometimes, reintegration to active duty for service members who have psychological health issues and traumatic brain injury. All have mild to moderate post-traumatic stress disorder, and most also have had some kind of head injury from exposure to a blast injury or fall, Walker said.

When these service members come to the center, they're often in a confused place, and some experience a loss of identity. Those who want to return to duty have a difficult time because they're passionate about their jobs, and those who will rejoin the civilian world wonder what they'll face, she said.

"They need to realize, 'It's time to take care of myself,'" she said.

Art therapy is one element of the center's interdisciplinary treatment. Walker, who designed the Healing Arts Program when the center opened two years ago, said creating art slows down the brain so people can focus and improve their cognitive skills and hand-eye coordination.

Walker's interest in the effects of war on troops stems from childhood memories of her grandfather returning from military service in Korea with what she now believes was post-traumatic stress. But, she said, "there wasn't a name for it then." White House, Defense Department and Veterans Affairs officials have made traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress treatment and prevention a top priority during the past decade of war.

By their third week in the Healing Arts Program, Melissa Walker assigns service members montages to design that signify their experiences at the center and characteristics they see in themselves. One wrote a poem in a creative writing class and incorporated it into his montage, which Walker said brought him "full circle." The art therapy program is a four-week piece of the treatment plan at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., for those with psychological health issues and traumatic brain injuries from their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. DOD photo by Terri Moon Cronk.
Download screen-resolution                                          Download high-resolution
  

Walker begins her treatment by meeting the service members one-on-one so she can get to know them and their goals while they are at the center. This also helps her meet the art therapy needs of each small group of about five people, she said. She has the service members design a mask, a montage and a postcard in any design with any materials they want, from magazine clippings to beads and paint. Most of their artistic creations, she said, reflect their inner thoughts concerning deployment, their injuries, various war experiences, and their futures.

Since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military officials have recognized family members' needs for support, and Walker's Healing Arts Program is no exception. One night a week, family members come to Walker's family class to do the same projects as the service members, to give this group of caregivers a break and a chance to "breathe," Walker said.

Service members' mask designs vary, she said, recalling a service member who divided his mask into the halves of two faces, depicting how he saw himself as both a civilian and a member of the military. The split-self has to do with identity, she said. Some who still have war images in their minds might design a scene of the injuries they and their fellow troops suffered.

The groups discuss their mask creations and what they mean. Walker said these discussions bring up personal and symbolic experiences. Sharing and discussing artwork establishes a sense of community and bonding with one another, which is particularly helpful to those with post-traumatic stress who tend to isolate themselves and don't trust others, she said.

"Some feel a lot has been lifted off their shoulders," she said of the group discussions. "Some will share things they never have before and feel validated. They realize they aren't alone."

Walker said the service members with psychological health issues and traumatic brain injury have "layers and layers of complications." In a similar manner, the montages they design often reflect the past, present and future of who they are, which helps them clarify their sense of self, Walker said.

The art therapist described the montage of another student who created a representation of himself in three stages: gradually coming from the dark side of war, opening a door labeled "NICoE," and stepping into brightness to depict healing, she said.

Walker's goal at the final week's commencement is to leave each
service member in "a forward-thinking mode," by asking them to design a postcard with a "positive" hand-scribed note for one of the center's recent graduates.

"One wrote, 'Remember what you learned here,'" she said.

Walker said she is confident future studies will bear positive results of art therapy for those with PTSD and TBI. For now, she added, she stands determined to help people confront and cope with their wounds by expression through art.

"I always tell them, 'I'm so glad you're here and taking time for yourself, and the biggest step you've taken is being open to this,'" she said. "That's huge. That's brave."

Related Sites: National Intrepid Center of Excellence Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Be aware ….Save The Kidney

Kidney diseases are often detected too late

Photo Courtesy: Health Medical 

Awareness of Kidney Diseases is low with many people totally underestimating the vital role our kidneys play, when in fact kidney damage and disease causes serious morbidity for hundreds of thousands of people, and in some cases leads to death. Chronic diseases – that already account for 72% of the total global burden of disease in people over 30 – will increase by 17% over the next decade; much of this in developing countries like India.

Our kidneys remove toxins and excess water from our blood. They also help to control our blood pressure, to produce red blood cells and hormones, and to keep our bones healthy.

There is a close relationship between kidney diseases, diabetes and hypertension. Worldwide, 246 million people suffer from diabetes and the figure is expected to reach 380 million by 2025. Diabetic kidney disease affects a third of people suffering from diabetes.India has about 50 million diabetic patients and diabetes affects the kidneys in 30-40% patients with renal failure related to diabetes accounting for about 20% of patients on dialysis.  Unfortunately, less than half of those people diagnosed with diabetes undergo a simple screening test for kidney disease.

Kidney diseases are often detected too late, when the patient is already in end-stage renal failure and will need either dialysis or transplantation. Worldwide, over 1.5 million people are undergo dialysis or transplantation and this number is forecasted to double within the next 10 years. In India only a small percentage of people can afford dialysis and transplantation.

A simple way to prevent these issues is to tackle the problem at the source, and ensure early diagnosis of kidney damage by systematically screening people diagnosed with diabetes or hypertension. This can be done with simple and inexpensive urine tests. If detected early, damage can be treated with effective therapies. If diagnosed too late, kidney diseases lead to kidney failure, which entails dialysis and transplantation. 

World Kidney Day

Celebrated worldwide onthe second Thursday of March, World Kidney Day offers a crucial, visible opportunity to inform and educate health policy-makers, people who are at highest risk of CKD, and the general public that kidney disease is common, harmful and treatable.

The Department of Nephrology at Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, will be organizing a Kidney Health Camp in the nephrology OPD from 8 - 11 AM on 10^th March, 2012, which will include free registration, nephrology and diet consultation, screening urine and blood tests, health education and awareness promotion.Please feel free to check your kidneys especially if you are diabetic, have high blood pressure, smoke, use regular pain medications, are above 40 years of age or have a close relative with diabetes or kidney disease.

For Further Details Please Contact  Dr.Jasmine Das: 9988345898
by Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria

Panetta: U.S.-Israel Partnership Will Become Closer

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 6, 2012 - Defense cooperation between the U.S. and Israel is already close, and it will get closer as both countries face the threats of the future, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta delivers remarks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., March 6, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo  Panetta spoke to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee here and said the United States and Israel will work closely together in the face of the dangers that confront both countries."The security bonds between Israel and the United States will only grow as America goes through a historic turning point after a decade of war," he said. In fact, defense cooperation will grow even with U.S. defense budget reductions. Panetta delivered "an ironclad pledge" that the United States will provide whatever support is necessary so Israel maintains military superiority over any state or coalition of states, as well as non-state actors, in the region. "Israel is surrounded by neighbors that have waged wars against it," he said. "The Israeli people have been subjected to rocket attacks, to terrorism, and they live in a world where larger nations have threatened to wipe them off the map." Supporting Israel is the right thing to do and isin America's best interests, Panetta said. "We have no better ally in this critical region of the world," he said. "A strong Israel deters potential aggressors. A strong Israel sends a message to the region and to the world that America will not waver in defense of our allies." The U.S. has increased security assistance to Israel substantially. This year, the budget calls for $31 billion in assistance to the nation, up from $2.5 billion in fiscal 2009. "This is part of a 10-year, $30 billion commitment to Israel's security," Panetta said. "Over and above this commitment, the President has committed more than $650 million in DOD funding for Israeli missile defense." The U.S. is working with Israel to develop an anti-missile system to address the threat from all levels. The system will deal with short-range defense to counter the continued threat of rocket barrages from Gaza. The United States provided more than $200 million for the Iron Dome rocket defense system. "Iron Dome is fielded, it is operational, and this new system has already saved the lives of Israeli civilians with over 30 real world successful hit-to-kill intercepts in 2011," Panetta said. The two nations are also working on medium range missile defense, developing David's Sling, and upper tier ballistic missile defense with the Arrow-3 system. "We are also working to upgrade Israel's Patriot missile system and batteries," he said. "We are committed to moving forward with all of these systems and more -- because as the Prime Minister told me -- these missile shields do not start wars, they prevent wars." The secretary noted the Israeli air force will receive the world's most sophisticated warplane -- the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. "The F-35 is the future of tactical aviation for the United States military, and providing Israel with this advanced fighter makes it the only country in the Middle East with a true fifth-generation fighter capacity, upholding Israel's edge not just now but for many years to come," the secretary said. The two militaries will not only share equipment, but also operational concepts. U.S. and Israeli service members will build greater capability and improve partnership through realistic exercises, joint training and personnel exchanges, Panetta said. "Each year, U.S. and Israeli forces take part in numerous exercises," he said. One example is missile defense exercise Austere Challenge that this year will include more than 3,000 U.S. troops. "This kind of cooperation is mutually beneficial to both the United States and Israel. It has made both of our militaries stronger," Panetta said. The secretary pointed out that cooperation is not just a one-way street. It was an Israeli company that met the call to help protect American soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan by surging production of up-armor kits for Humvees and mine-resistant vehicles. "The kits were made in an Israeli kibbutz, and they saved the lives of our men and women in uniform," Panetta said.

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta Related Sites: Speech Related Articles: U.S. Will Act to Prevent Iran from Developing Nuclear Weapons, Panetta Says

The Gift of Life: 21 years later // by Dr Kim Mammen

He discontinued his studies and was bed ridden

Paramjit Singh runs a Karyana and multi-purpose store at Una, Himachel Pradesh, and supports his wife and two children. He has perfect health now and eats normal food considering the illness he suffered during his adolescence, 21 years ago. At the age of 17, in 1990, he was diagnosed to have end stage kidney failure and he was dependent on hemodialysis for his survival. Due to his kidney failure, he discontinued his studies and he was bed ridden for a while. He used to get hemodialysis three times a week at CMCH. Why would fate strike a person in his youthful age of 17? Is this God’s punishment to me and my family? These were the thoughts that went through his mind while he went through the ordeal of hemodialysis for his end stage kidney failure? His father, Rattan Singh, was a Police Officer and he decided to donate his kidney for his son. 27-August-1991 was the long awaited day he dreamt of to receive the “Gift of life” from his father. Parmajit Singh underwent successful kidney transplantation at CMCH. Dr Kim Mammen, Professor & Head, Department of Urology & Renal Transplant Surgeon had performed the renal transplant operation for Paramjit Singh. This was the first ever successful renal transplant surgery performed at CMCH. This was also Dr Kim Mammen’s first renal transplant operation of his career. Recalling the experience of his first renal transplant operation, Dr Mammen confessed that he displayed his best surgical skills in getting the first ever renal transplant operation at CMCH go right and perfect. God’s choicest blessings and a good team-work was the Mantra for the successful operation. The check list he had made for every step of the procedure went right, Dr Mammen confessed 21 years later.

Soon after the kidney transplantation operation, Rattan Singh [Father] was thrilled to know that his donated kidney was working perfectly well on his only son. This was the greatest gift a father could ever give to his son. Rattan Singh recovered well after the operation and he went home six days after the operation. Paramjit Singh was discharged two weeks after the renal transplant operation with normal kidney function. It was a dream come true for Paramjit Singh when he experienced a urine output of more than two liters a day. Before the renal transplant operation, he was passing less than 100 ml of urine in a day and that too with hemodialysis three days a week. Before the operation, he had dreamt to pass urine in good volumes and he was uncertain whether he would fulfill this dream. Paramjit Singh stayed in Ludhiana for a month after the renal transplant operation for getting regular check-ups and blood tests done. A month later, he returned to Una and he started to do part-time education.

Three years after the successful renal transplant operation, Paramjit Singh got married and he now has two children. Paramjit Singh has led a happy married life and his children are excited that their dad is leading a normal life after 21 years of his renal transplant operation. He has had minor ailments and infections which were promptly treated by the CMCH Doctors. Presently Paramjit Singh comes for regular check-ups every two months. Paramjit Singh continues to work as a motivator and promoter for renal transplant surgery and he has proved that this is the only salvation for patients with end stage kidney failure who are totally dependent on hemodialysis. He is indebted to the doctors and nurses of CMCH who looked after him during and after the kidney transplantation operation.

Ever since Paramjit Singh’s successful renal transplant operation in 1991, Dr Kim Mammen has performed more than 500 renal transplant operations both at CMCH and in the UK where he had served as a Consultant Urologist and Renal Transplant Surgeon. Dr Mammen proudly reiterated that the Transplant Team at CMCH had also done Punjab’s first successful cadaver renal transplant in Jan-1997 and the second one in June-2000.

As the world celebrates the “World Kidney Day” Paramjit Singh proudly said “I am a true beneficiary of the Gift of Life by kidney donation and I am now cured of the end stage kidney disease. I was once destined to die but now, I am determined to live. Thank you kidney transplantation and thank you CMCH for the gift of life.” {Issued on:Dated: 07-Mar-2012}

Compiled by Dr Kim Mammen, 
Professor & Head, Department of Urology, 
Renal Transplant Surgeon, 
Christian Medical College Hospital, Ludhiana. 

"North East Trilogy" Released

The Minister of State for Defence, Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju releasing the books "North East Trilogy", at MCEME Secunderabad on March 05, 2012. The Chief of the Army Staff, General V.K. Singh and Authors, Mrs. Dipti Bhalla and Shri Kunal Verma are also seen.  (PIB photo) 05-March-2012

Prashant Bhushan is a Shameless Traitor

He should be dismissed and disowned byAnna Hazare 

 Narain Kataria in New York

The vituperative comments by Anna Hazare Team Member Prashant Bhushan in the main stream media last week against RSS and Chief Minister Narendra Modi are not only appalling but also highly reprehensible.  It looks as if this loony leftists is suffering from cognitive disorder, Hinduphobia, or both.

It is a matter of great regret and shame that instead of expressing sympathy with 58 innocent Hindu women and children who were burnt alive by 2000 Muslims goons at Godhra station on February 27, 2002, this guy has the temerity to find fault with Hindus and Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi!  Narendra Modi is a very capable administrator and knows full well as to how to handle religious bigots with an iron hand.  That is the reason, in the last 10 years, there is complete harmony and peace in Gujarat!

Conversely, relentless jihad against Hindus and Sikhs is going on in Pakistan and Bangladesh.  Hindu girls are kidnapped, converted to Islam and forcibly married to Muslim men. Hindus live in Pakistan and Bangladesh under Islamic subjugation. In December 2011, 250 Hindus left their homes and hearths and sought political asylum in India.  In November 2011, 4 Hindu doctors were gunned down in Sind by Islamic militants.  In May, 2010, according to a report in DNA 50 Pakistani Hindus were converted to Islam under pressure from their employers.  Hindus have been almost ethnically cleansed in Pakistan.  Bangladesh Minority Watch in January 2012 reported that some Muslims  perpetrators wearing masks and equipped with deadly weapons attacked Hindus and destroyed Hindu deities in Barisal district.

More than half a million Hindus have been forcibly driven from the Indian state of Kashmir by Deobandi / Barelvi / Salafist / Wahhabi Islamic terrorists.

Though Radical Islamists have been murdering innocent people all over the world as mentioned below, it is inexplicable as to why this guy is supporting Islamic terrorism in India. Last year he had been beaten for supporting separation of Kashmir from India. 

This guy is exploiting his position with Anna Hazare to promote his pro-terrorist agenda.  Thus, he is tarnishing the image of Anna Hazare.  This dubious character is a security risk and should be watched by intelligence agencies.  He should also be investigated by CBI for his links with ISI operatives.

It is also disgusting to note that media, particularly English, in collusion with deadly combination of Leftist-Islamist activists cynically exploited the 10^th anniversary of Gujarat riot to denigrate, degrade, demonize and vilify Hindu organizations and Narendra Modi.

A cursory glance at the history of terrorism will clearly indicate the fact that most of the terrorist activities, at least 95% of them, all over the world in the last 50 years have been and are being conducted by the adherents of Islam and trained Islamic terrorists..

The World Trade Center in New York, Beslan in Russia, Bali in Indonesia, Madrid in Spain, London, Mumbai,  Godhra Railway Station in India, India’s Parliament Complex in New Delhi, Thailand and Philippine – these were all cases of global Muslim terrorism.

Recently in his 36 page report entitled “Building Resilience against Terrorism”, Canda’s Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said that muslim extremists are the number one threat to Canada.

In Sudan, Jihad was declared and approximately two and half million Christians were butchered by Islamists.

Boko Haram, an Islamic organization in Nigeria, is believed to be responsible for killing and maiming hundreds of people.

Somali Jihadists and The Islamist al-Shabab militia who are slaughtering people like goats in  Mogadishu are all the followers of Islam.

There is a wholesale attack and murder of Coptic Christians in Egypt by the Islamic Brotherhood.

Last month, 40 Islamic extremist organizations held three big public meetings in Pakistan.  In Multan, Lahore and Karachisomewhere between 50,000 to 100,000 jihadists vigorously participated in each meeting.  They vowed to break India into pieces, kill Americans and wipe out Israel.

Under the circumstances, we  suggest that this guy should be immediately removed from Anna Hazare Team and arrested by Government of India for seditious  activities.