Cardiologists express concern over rise in heart ailments

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KATHMANDU, Jan 31 : Cardiologists have warned that the number of heart patients have increased alarmingly in Nepal. They expressed this view during the seventh anniversary of Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre (SGNHC), established in the memory of late martyr Ganga Lal Shrestha.

Presenting the annual report of SGNHC, Dr Bhagwan Koirala, executive director of the centre said that in the past one year, 2,841 patients attended the out-patient service (OPD), which shows the rise in the number of heart patients.

The report also states that 318 patients have underwent heart-related surgeries during the past one year, of whom 205 have been operated for open-heart surgeries. "The number stated shows that this centre is comparable with international level," said Koirala.

Other than open heart surgery, 68 close heart, 33 vascular and 12 pericardial surgeries were conducted at the SGNHC, which is the only government cardiac hospital in Nepal.

"The most important step undertaken by the centre is that each day around 10 angiography are conducted," said Koirala. "But as the centre is providing all types of cardiac services, there is the need of more expertise. Then we will be able to provide better services to the community."

The report also states that except in some complex cases, the mortality rate in the heart patient is about five per cent only.

Speaking at the function Mrigendra Raj Pandey, president of Cardiac Society Nepal said that heart disease is the biggest killer disease in South Asia and equally strikes all age groups and people.

"Other than treatment there is a need for comprehensive approaches," said Pandey. "That includes National Preventive Programme for awareness, rehabilitation programme to lead a normal life and the need for research on prevention, rehabilitation and treatment."

Pandey said that there is a need for different guidelines to treat patients here other than those which are practised in Western countries. "Technologically and ethnically, the mode of treatment here is dissimilar to that prevalent in the Western countries," he said.

Health Minister Dr Upendra Devkota inaugurated the twenty-bed Gopal Kamala Care Unit. The unit includes an eight-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a six-bed Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and another six-bed Intermediate ICU.

Addressing the function Dr Devkota said that along with communicable diseases, non-communicable ailments are also increasing in number, which include heart diseases also.

"There is a need for high quality services at more affordable rates," said Devkota. "Because of the socio-economic differences in Nepal, the way of treatment is also different. Therefore we need to target all sectors of people."

On the occasion, Dr Koirala said that SGNHC is planning to increase the number of beds from 80 to 200 in the near future.

Accord signed

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KATHMANDU, Jan 31 : Alliance Nepal (Alliance Nepal for Social Mobilization) with the support of SDC/Nepal (Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation) signed an agreement for the second phase of the Training for Employment Project, said a press release issued by the Alliance Nepal, here today.

The second phase of the project will last till December, 2006. The project supports school dropouts including poor and underprivileged people. Alliance Nepal and SDC/Nepal have been running such programmes for the past three years.

Memorial foundation inaugurated

RSS

KATHMANDU, Jan. 31 : Vice- Chancellor of the Kathmandu University Dr. Suresh Raj Sharma inaugurated the Subhas Memorial Foundation constituted by father Chandra Bahadur Khadka and mother Bijaya Khadka in the memory of their son lieutenant of the Royal Nepal Army Subhas Khadka who died while performing his duty.

On the occasion, Sharma also released a Subhas Memorial Souvenir edited by the Foundation.

At the function presided over by father of late Subhas and foundation chairman Chandra Bahadur Khadka, various speakers said Subhas showed an exemplary sacrifice by his devotion to the country.

Litterateur Daibagya Raj Neupane commented on the souvenir. A message from the Chief of Army Staff Pyar Jung Thapa was also read out on the occasion.

Need to mitigate arsenic contamination in water stressed

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KATHMANDU, Jan 31 : The lessons learnt from Bangladesh on arsenic contamination will be valuable for future policies and activities in Nepal, said Dinesh Chandra Pyakurel, Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office.

Speaking at the Review Meeting on the Status of Arsenic Mitigation for Domestic Water Supply in South Asia held today, Pyakurel further emphasised on the need for a regional network between countries to share information regarding arsenic.

"Arsenic contamination is an increasing concern in the South Asian region and we need to work together to eradicate the problem," added Pyakurel. The review meeting was organised by the National Arsenic Steering Committee (NASC) and the Water and Sanitation Programme for South Asia (WSP-SA).

"One million people in Nepal are exposed to arsenic poisoning in drinking water," said Sohan Shrestha, Chairman, NASC. "Arsenic contamination in drinking water is an emerging problem in Nepal."

Out of around 200,000 tube wells in the country, 30 percent are believed to be contaminated with arsenic. However, detailed screening of all tube wells in the country for arsenic is yet to be achieved. "The monitoring and testing of tube wells is a challenge," added Shrestha.

Exposure to arsenic contamination in drinking water is not very old as the majority of tube wells have only been installed in the last decade. Studies carried out in the past few years have shown high levels of arsenic contamination in the Terai regions of Nawalparasi, Rautahat, Parsa and Kailali.

"Awareness building and motivational programmes regarding arsenic contamination and its health effects in the villages are vital in preventing the health impacts," added Shrestha.

Jan Speets, WHO Environmental Health Advisor, emphasised the growing need for the health sector to contribute in arsenic mitigation.

In comparison to Bangladesh, arsenicosis patients of severe stage in the studied villages of Nawalparasi are less but the prevalence of arsenicosis is more than that of Bangladesh in some instances. It could be assumed that if the exposure of arsenic contamination is continued, within few years the arsenicosis patients as well as the severe arsenicosis patients will be comparatively more than Bangldesh.

Other speakers at the inauguration ceremony were Gautam Prasad Shrestha, the Deputy Director General (DDG) of the Department of Water and Supply and Sanitation(DWSS), Prof. Feroz Ahmed, the representative of Water and Sanitation Programme for South Asia and Ishwar Man Tamrakar the DDG of DWSS.

Health posts handed over

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KATHMANDU, Jan 31 : Out of forty-one Village Development Committees (VDCs) in Lalitpur district, director general of Health Service Division, Health Ministry, Laxmi Raj Pathak handed over sub-health posts to the chiefs of 27 VDCs.

Handing over the sub-health posts, Pathak remarked that the participation of general public in the health sector would make the service more effective.

He said the Health Ministry would always be there for supervision task and to offer needed support to run the health posts efficiently. He emphasised that administration, accounts, and technical device should also be taken care of for the smooth running of the health posts.

Rishi Prasad Lamichhane, District Health Officer, Baldev Gautam, Local Development Officer, Arjun Bahadur Singh, Director of National Health Training Centre, and Dr Chandra Amatya, Director of Planning Division, Health Ministry were also present on the occasion.

'Wetlands need serious conservation efforts'

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KATHMANDU, Jan 31 : Seventy percent of the earth’s surface is covered by wetlands. Of that, only three percent is drinkable water. Further, two of the three percent is in frozen form. The remaining one- percent constitutes the lifeline of six billion inhabitants of this planet.

"Wetlands are important sources of drinking water. Wetlands in Nepal are suffering due to environmental degradation," said Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha, chief of the National Committee of World Conservation Union (IUCN) member, speaking in an interaction programme organised today in the valley to mark the World Wetlands Day, 2003.

According to Surya Bahadur Pande of Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), wetlands in Nepal are converting into woodlands, owing to indiscriminate dumping of wastes. "Rani Lake of Royal Shukla Phant dried up. Along with the lake, the crocodiles drinking water from and living in that lake died. Similarly, rhinos inhabiting in the area are facing serious water shortage," said Pande, bringing out the severity of the problem.

There are over one billion people in the world deprived of clean drinking water. Nearly two billion people live in dry lands, facing chronic water shortage. In Nepal, about 20 indigenous groups attain their livelihood from wetland. These constitute 15 percent of the population in Nepal.

According to experts, wetlands have a central role in preserving ecological balance. In Nepal, wetlands are facing immense environmental pressure due to the lack of conservation, increasing encroachment from human settlements, insecticides, unplanned construction, concentration of sand and mud, and pollution.

NTV marks 18th anniversary

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KATHMANDU, Jan 31 : With the completion of 18 years, the 18th Annual celebration of Nepal Television was held here today.

Nepal Television relays 32 per cent of educative and informative programmes, 26 per cent of news and 40 per cent of entertainment programmes.

Malla’s abstract works on display

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KATHMANDU, Jan 31 : A solo exhibition of paintings by artist Mukesh Malla was inaugurated today at the Nepal Art Council in the capital. The seven-day exhibition will showcase Malla’s works on ‘Reflection of Time’. This is the artist’s ninth painting exhibition.

Explaining the works, Malla said that art is the expression of an artist’s perceptions. "I have been regularly hearing that abstract art is incomprehensible. There is a simple way to understand abstract art. Feel the impression, and follow the relationship that the painting establishes with you at first sight," said Malla, adding that the paintings showcased in the exhibition are the products of definite time frames, hence the theme.

The artist explains the theme in terms of man’s impressionability to his surroundings. "Man as a social being, has always been subject to diverse effects around him. He or she is found reacting to varied impressions in uncommon ways," writes Malla. "I, as a creative being, have found myself in such situations. To me, colours of different hues identified with each situation resultantly played a floating imagery inside me," he adds.

Malla is a well-known figure for his long association with abstract mode of expression and experiments. In the evaluation of Madan Chitrakar, an artist, Malla displays his unmistakable energy and vitality through bold strokes matched with fresh flow of primary hues, in the works on display.

"It should be noted here that we do not seek any imagery of pre-conceived forms or shapes- rather a psychic journey through his abstract imagination. Occasional sweet strokes of yellow, green, and gray often function as a beacon to travel deeper inside the abstractions. Though belated, Malla’s creative presence here strongly promises more dynamic and creative experiment in future," writes Chitrakar on Malla’s works.

Experts question motive behind truce declaration

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KATHMANDU, Jan 31 : Political analysts and security experts while lauding the cease-fire announced by the government and Maoists, have also questioned the motive behind the "sudden" rapprochement between the two sides and added that the situation is very fluid.

They also warned that if the palace and the government tried to marginalise the political parties, which reflect democratic process in the country, "there will be very dangerous consequences for the country".

"Our only expectation is that innocent people can be saved from being killed further," said Dhruba Kumar Shrestha, a renowned South Asian security expert and research scholar with Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS). "But we cannot expect anything much, at least not right now."

He added that the cease-fire was also a great challenge for the political parties, which need to search for their role in the changing context. However, he remarked that the parties failed with their performance in the past 12 years and "their weaknesses have been understandably exploited by both the palace and the Maoists."

"Consolidation and continuation of monarchy in 21st century Nepal will depend on the thriving of the parties and democracy. This equation cannot be ignored by anyone."

Shrestha was sceptical about the outcome of the peace initiative that has caused jubilation in the country and abroad. "It is unpredictable. When we were all expecting retaliation from the security forces after APF chief’s death, cease-fire has been announced. So there is no guarantee that the talks will succeed."

Krishna Khanal, political analyst too pointed out that everyone should wait and see, agreeing with Shrestha that the "situation was very fluid".

Call for efforts to make health institute self-reliant

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DHARAN, Jan 31 : Health Minister and Co-chancellor of the B.P. Health and Science Institute, Dr. Upendra Devkota, speaking at the 23rd meeting of the Board of Directors of this institute today made his request that this institute should provide more opportunities to the socially deprived class and people from the Dalit community.

Dr. Devkota reiterated that this institute has huge potential, and continuous efforts should be made to make it self-reliant. He added, " The institute should not be discouraged from the purpose of producing able human resources of international standards and from providing services of international quality."

Lauding the contribution made by the B.P. Institute in imbibing the teaching district concept, Dr. Devkota said that efforts are underway to make other private medical colleges embrace this concept too.

Speaking at the function the vice-chancellor of this Institute, Dr. Shekhar Koirala apprised that 10 years ago, when this institute had been established, there were just 30 students enrolled for MBBS with various subjects and levels, while there are 751 medical students at present. Dr. Koirala contended that this institute has the aim of developing all the 16 districts of the eastern region into teaching districts. The Ilam hospital and the Rajbiraj hospital are going to be included into the teaching district list this year. It was also learnt that a proposal was put forth by this institute to increase the number of MBBS students from 55 to 100.

In this meeting which was held at the Tribhuvan Memorial Building in Kirtipur, the educational report as well as a report relating to hospital services were presented by Professor Dr. Sudhankshu Sharma and the director of the hospital, Dr. Narayan Kumar respectively.

Maoist activists unaware of truce declaration

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DAILEKH, Jan 31 : The District Committee of the Maoist party has called an emergency meeting of its workers for Saturday evening to find out the truth behind the cease-fire as announced by the state media, according to a concerned source.

"Since the party has not issued a circular on this regard, we are probing into the validity of the announcement," said a Maoist activist of Narayan municipality-3. Meanwhile, the Maoists organised a round table discussion with teachers in the eastern part of the district.

The regional representatives of the party from Bheri-Karnali zone participated in the discussion. The discussion centred on interim government, according to a teacher who participated in the discussion programme.

Insurgency victims yet to be overjoyed at the cease-fire

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KAILALI, Jan 31 : Though the cease-fire declared by the Maoists and the government has come as great a relief to many, families victimised by the Maoists and the security personnel in Kailali are yet to experience relief in a true sense.

Displaced from various VDCs, the families of security personnel and political activists in Dhangadi are still unsure whether they can go back to their homes, which are locked up by the Maoists.

The family of Megh Bahadur Gurung, a police constable serving at Sadhepani Sukhanda Police Post, has been taking refuge for the past two months since the Maoists locked their houses.

‘Since the Maoists locked up our house, my family could not plant wheat. Thus farms are lying uncultivated. If the Maoists have indeed declared cease-fire, they should unlock our houses,’ said Gurung.

Dharma Raj Timilsena, a Police Head Constable also expresses similar sentiments. "If the Maoists are true to their words, they should let our family members stay peacefully at home," said Gurung.

Maoists had locked the house of Gurung at Baliya VDC, a few days ago and his family members are taking refuge in their neighbour’s house.

"Issues on displaced families, looting of villages, killings and mutilating in the name of ‘public action’ and killings in the name of encounters, should be the prime agendas of the talks between the government and the Maoists," said Bhim Bahadur Saud, the outgoing chairman of Jogbudha in Dadeldhura VDC, who is also taking refuge in Dhangadi.

It is estimated that over 200 families of security personnel and that of political activists have been taking refuge in Dhangadi due to Maoist threats.

The record at the Area Police Office (APO) alone shows that a total of 73 families are displaced from various VDCs of the district and Rajapur area of Bardiya district.

However, there is no estimate of the families displaced by security personnel. Families of the Maoist rebels have suffered more during insurgency, according to sources.

The whole family of Mangal Bahadur Chaudhari, a rebel, left their house at Tikapur municipality-9, due to frequent harassment meted out to them by security personnel. The whereabouts of the family is still unknown, according to locals.

However, other locals in the district are glad by the latest declaration of cease-fire and are praying for peace to prevail in the country so that family members who were forced to leave for India due to insurgency would return home.

Awareness programme organised

PHIDIM, Jan 31 (RSS)- A five-day child awareness trainers’ training organised by Hukodec, a local NGO with the assistance of UNICEF concluded here yesterday.

The training, aimed at producing trainers who can provide training to school children and promote their awareness about child rights, was participated in by 21 persons including school resource persons, teachers, representatives from local NGOs and members of the local children’s club.

20 houses looted in a night

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LAHAN, Jan 31 : Dacoits looted 20 houses situated in Inaruwa Village Development Committee (VDC) of Siraha district lying near to Indian border, around 2 am on Thursday.

Around 70 to 80 bandits carried out the plunder in these three villages within an hour.

The houses that had been looted in the Bishaul village of Inaruwa VDC belonged to Rajendra Yadav, Ram Ashish Mandal, Jivach Mandal including the seven houses. Similarly, houses of Dharmadev Mahato, Dukhi Mahato, Ram Prasad Mahato, Chabbu Mahato including nine houses at Koriyanitol were plundered, while the houses of Chandradev Mandal, Mahendra Mandal, Baidyanath Shah, and Yogendra Mandal of ward-2, were looted as well.

According to information provided by a local, these dacoits also looted, half a Kg of silver, one and half tolas of gold ornaments, and cash amounting to Rs. 30,000 from the house of Assistant Sub-Inspector in Inaruwa VDC-2, Ramchandra Mandal, who was in Jhapa district during this time.

According to the District Police Office at Siraha, an additional team under an inspector has been sent to the incident site for more investigation.

It is learnt that within 15 days 18 houses at Thadi Bazar in the same VDC had been previously looted. Obliging to the request of the locals there, the police have transferred the Assistant Sub-inspector of the Thadi police post, Shyam Chaudhary to another station effective from today.

Child killed in road accident

TEHRATHUM, Jan 31 (PR)- A girl died under the wheel of a truck heading from Biratnagar to Mudhe Sanischare Bazaar area today evening. The deceased is identified as Nirmala Shrestha, 5, a local, according to an eyewitness. She breathed her last on the way to hospital. Locals took control of Bhagat Ram Chaudhari, the truck driver and handed over him to the District Police Office (DPO), according to Rabindra Pitha, an eyewitness.

Spot visit to Bhadrapur

BHADRAPUR, Jan 31(RSS)- Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Badri Narayan Basnet made an on the spot visit of the Bansbari, Maurmadi beat no. 1 and 2 and Ghople Biran Community Forests in Jhapa district. He also directed on the utilisation of the earnings made from collection and sale of forest products as per laws.

Injured deer under police care

JUMLA, Jan 3l(RSS)- Police have taken under control an injured deer and brought it to the District Public Health Office for treatment. The deer is thought to have descended to the lowlands because of snowfall in the upper reaches. Following treatment, the deer has remained in police hands.

New idol installed

GULMI, Jan 31(RSS)- A new idol was installed in the local Radha-Krishna Temple situated at Resunga VDC of Gulmi district. The temple was without an idol after the original idol installed in ancient times was stolen by unidentified person a few years ago. The idol sponsored by Sita Panthi in memory of late Devi Ram Panthi was installed amid Vedic rituals.

Couple eagerly await birth of 20th child

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SINDHULI, Jan 31 : Dalli Maya, wife of Rik Man Nepali of Baseshwor VDC is now pregnant for the 20th time and the couple is eagerly awaiting the infant’s arrival who probably will be their last child. After the child’s delivery, the couple will remarry as per tradition.

Thus, the Nepali couple is busy undergoing counselling with their elders about the ways to observe this ritual. Of the 19 children, six daughters and eight sons are still alive and in good health. The mother has been an exception to the fact that giving birth to many children ruins a mother’s health. "I am still in good health," said Dilli Maya.

However, it is not that the couple have not heard of family planning measures. Nepali recalls how he had once fled home, out of fear, from Ramechhap, the neighbouring district and went for an operation for the permanent measure of family planning.

However, this couple who eke out a living from tailoring in the village admitted that they are facing difficulties to feed their children.

Even, Yogendra Sapkota, a resident of Kamalmai municipality-5 of the district is also on a similar drive of getting remarried. His wife has already given birth to 18 children and the Sapkota couple is determined to give birth to two more children to get married again, according to sources.

Talk programme organised

RSS

BIRGUNJ, Jan 31 : Chief Judge of the Appellate Court of Hetauda Paramananda Jha has said journalism should play a positive role in the eradication of evils and aberrations and challenges presently seen in the society.

At a talk programme on ‘democracy and local newspapers’ organised here yesterday by the Ankush daily published from Birgunj on the occasion of its second anniversary, he gave away letters of appreciation to persons contributing in the publication.

Parsa CDO Bishnuraj Kushum called on all to work for the development journalism in outlying districts.

NC Parsa president Rajendra Bahadur Amatya called for honest and impartial journalism to face the challenges on fundamental rights.

Curfew hours changed in Hetauda

RSS

HETAUDA, Jan 3l : Makwanpur District Administration has changed the curfew hours in force in the Hetauda municipality area to between 8 pm and 5 am with effect from yesterday.

Before this the curfew hours used to be from l0 pm to 4 am.

According to CDO Deepak Joshi, the curfew hours have been increased to reinforce the law and order situation and provide added security to the industrial district, financial institutions and the market area.

Govt school text includes English

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BHADRAPUR, Jan 31 : English subject will be included in the curriculum of government schools from grade one to ten. All girl students and students from indigenous group will be provided free school level education from the coming session, informed Devi Prasad Ojha, the Minister for Education and Sports.

The minister made the remark today at the inaugural function of the newly constructed building for the Jana Jagriti Higher Secondary School at Goldhap VDC-4 of Jhapa district. The building was constructed at a cost of over two hundred thousand rupees, according to Rajendra Lingdel, the chairman of the School Management Committee.

VSAT telephone system installed in Okhaldhunga

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OKHALDHUNGA, Jan 31 : The locals of the mountainous district of Okhaldhunga are gladdened to know that they will once communicate with other parts of the country after a hiatus of nine months.

The Telecommunication Office at Okhaldhunga has just completed the installation of two lines of VSAT phones, and has gone through successful testing as well. It has not been made available to the general populace but it is likely to be made open to the locals in two or three days time.

This district had been facing communication disruption since the past nine months when the Maoist rebels had destroyed the telephone tower at Chitresthan of Udayapur. The damaging of the tower had disrupted hundreds of phone lines in Okhaldhunga including other districts such as, Solukhumbu and Khotang. This disruption had caused great inconvenience to many VDCs in various neighbouring districts.

The supervisor at the Telecommunication Office, Rabindra Rai said that though the installation work has been completed, people have to still wait for two or four days to use these phones as they still have to present an installation report to the technical centre. After this, these two phone lines will operate in full-swing, and is expected to benefit not only the locals but people from other nearby districts as well.

The officer of the Cottage and Small Industries Development Committee at Okhaldhunga reiterates that due to this disruption life had become very difficult even for employees of the various government and private offices. He adds that though late these two phone lines would be a great relief to the district people including hundreds of employees working there.

A local resident of Dipsingh, Balakhu, Binod Kumar Yonjan, who had come to the Telecommunication Office, expresses his joy and says that he can now contact his cousin in Kathmandu.

It is learnt that of these two installed VSAT phones, one is expected to cater to the general populace through the P.C.O. phone, while the other will cater to the needs of security bodies, and the government offices and non government organisations.

It is learnt that the charge for a call from this system is going to be higher than other normal phones. An employee at the telecommunication office situated in that district says that the charge per call is still not known since the detail information is yet to released by the telecommunication centre. However, since the charge per call maintained in other districts of the country through this system of phone is Rs. 11. 80 the same charge is expected to be implied here as well, he added.