14 terrorists killed in security operations

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 6: Security forces killed 14 terrorists in course of their search operations across the country Friday.

The forces gunned down five armed terrorists in Amreni area of Bardiya, two each in Ragda area of Jajarkot, Salyan, and Shibalaya Chhamkharka area of Parbat, and one each in Lapchung and Ghodagaon of Rolpa, and Jarbutta area of Surkhet district.

The Defence Ministry said the forces seized guns, locally made weapons and socket bombs from these places.

According to the Ministry, the terrorists who were killed in Salyan were involved in attacks on police posts and telephone towers in Sitalpati, Ratmate and Kapurkot of the same district in the past, while the terrorist killed in Rolpa was the so-called area commander of the terrorist group. The terrorist gunned down in Parbat was a so-called militia, involved in setting up ambushes against the security forces. The Ministry said the terrorists killed in Bardiya were involved in disruptive activities. The others were active members of the terrorist group.

The security forces seized equipment and explosives used for making bombs from Lapchung area of Rolpa, a gun from Bokhim of Bhojpur and hidden foodstuff from Akhara of Dang district.

The security forces defused an ambush and removed a roadblock in Sagachock Deurali area of Sindhupalchok. Public transport has been restored with the removal of the roadblock.

The Ministry said the terrorists last night looted cash and kind from lawmaker Govinda Bahadur Shah's house in Ridikot of Achham and then set the house ablaze.

World Health Day message
'Mobility, a thought on diet ensure good health'

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 6:While diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria have caught the world's attention and have consumed significant portion of the world's of resources, it is the non-communicable diseases like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular ailments that poses the biggest threat to the public health, especially in the middle and old ages.

This is due, in large part, to lifestyles, which is gradually becoming more sedentary and unhealthy, changing diets and increased tobacco use, said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in his message on the World Health Day on April 7.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has focussed on physical activity in this year's theme 'Move for Health'. "Physical activity is the antidote," said the UN General Secretary.

He said our knowledge, experience and scientific evidence shows that regular physical activity provides of all ages, male and female, with substantial physical and mental health gains and general well being.

"It cuts down on stress, anxiety and depression. It promotes social interaction and social integration. In elderly people, it reduces feelings of loneliness, and in the young, it helps prevent risky behaviours such as smoking and aggression," Annan said.

The UNFPA Exeuctive Director Ms. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said it is important for young people to stay healthy through old age, and for older people to remain healthy and productive.

"Better health care, including reproductive health services, throughout the life cycle is critical and individuals must invest in their own health through healthy living," Obaid said.

Longer lives will only be healthy and productive if there is cleaner water, better sanitation, adequate nutrition, wider access to education and health services, including reproductive health and better medical services and drugs, she said. She further said that this is a far bigger challenge for poor countries than for rich ones and requires far greater investments in international development.

The need for physical activity and a balanced diet in maintaining good health has never been more pressing as it is today, said WHO's regional director Dr. Uton Muchtar Rafei in his message on the World Health Day. "Physical inactivity besides unhealthy diet and smoking is a major cause of common non-communicable diseases (NCDs) the world over."

WHO said maintaining normal weight and regular physical activity throughout the life span are the most effective ways of preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, diabetes, and many other diseases.

In 1999, NCDs contributed to nearly 60 per cent of deaths and 43 per cent of disease burden globally. By 2020 this is expected to rise 73 per cent deaths and 60 per cent of the disease burden. Most people suffering from NCDs are 45 to 65 year old.

Ironically, while malnutrition continues to be a major health concern in many parts of the world, in several societies, excess food consumption and sedentary lifestyles are leading to an epidemic of obesity and chronic, non-communicable diseases. The problem is fast spreading even in developing countries, which account for 77 per cent of global NCD deaths, WHO data says. This tide can be stemmed through active daily living, balanced diet, and tobacco control.

In 1999, NCDs contributed to nearly 60 per cent of deaths and 43 per cent of disease burden globally. By 2020 this is expected to rise 73 per cent deaths and 60 per cent of the disease burden. Most people suffering from NCDs are 45 to 65 years old.

The need for an integrated approach to NCD control was expressed at the 50th session of the South-East Asia Regional Committee meeting, held in September 1997. The situation of NCDs in the Region is of great concern, particularly as life expectancy rises, increasing the number of the elderly. In India, where life expectancy is more than 60 years, the double burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases is a reality that has to be acknowledged and addressed by policy-makers.

The World Health Assembly in 2000 identified physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and tobacco use, as the main risk factors for the prevention and control of NCDs. Subsequently, the 2001 World Health Assembly urged WHO to develop a global strategy for diet and physical activity in NCD prevention, in addition to the anti-tobacco activities already initiated.

The list of diseases to which unhealthy diet and physical inactivity can contribute is long: ischaemic heart disease, strokes, some forms of cancer. Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, osteoporosis, dental caries, to name just a few.

Among these, cardiovascular diseases account for the largest share of NCD deaths in South and South Asian region. At nearly 47 per cent, Sri Lanka leads the rate of NCD deaths in the Region, with almost half the deaths due to CVDs. In Indonesia, NCDs account for over 37 per cent mortality, CVDs alone responsible for over half of them. In Bangladesh, over a quarter of deaths are due to NCDs, nearly half of it CVDs. Myanmar has the Region’s second highest rate of NCD mortality, nearly 42 per cent.

Regular physical activity and a healthy diet have a great potential to considerably reduce the risk of these common, and often fatal, diseases. Physical activity known to have a positive effect on blood lipids, blood pressure, body weight, glucose tolerance, and other metabolic and regulatory pathways.

Since individual action on active living is influenced by national policies and strategies, national guidelines are required to help shape physical activity and dietary patterns of communities.

On its part, WHO said it will support its member countries in developing demonstration programmes for the community. The WHO will also address global and regional issues that have an impact on nutrition and physical activity, such as advertising, mass communication, world trade agreements, food labelling, and novel foods, will also be examined and addressed.

Some suggestions made by WHO are public education on healthy lifestyles, with the emphasis on physical activity. The educational systems needed to be encouraged to achieve a balance in time allocated for academic demands and those for healthy development of students’ physical, mental and social potential. Sports and other physical activities would need to feature prominently in school curriculum, working in tandem with sports institutions and other programmes such as town planning and environmental health. Facilities would have to be created for safe and regular physical activity in our communities. Physical activity and transportation call for safe streets, etc. Physical activity has to be an integral part of community-based programmes including children, women, the elderly as well as the disabled.

Health professionals have a critical role in stemming the upsurge of NCDs in the Region. They can suggest diet and physical activity as an affordable and cost-effective prescription for disease prevention and control, instead of drugs and other forms of management, which are often unaffordable for the common man.

Demographic trend sees changes
World meet on ageing in Madrid from tomorrow

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 6:The Second United Nations World Assembly on Ageing will convene in Madrid, Spain, from 8 to 12 April, to respond to the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly ageing population during the twenty-first century.

The global surge in old-age population is called as a "demographic revolution" without precedents in history, and promote the development of a "society for all ages", the theme of the 1999 International Year of Older Persons.

The United Nations said since the adoption of an International Plan of Action at the first World Assembly in Vienna, Austria, in 1982, pervasive demographic changes have been transforming the world.

Ongoing declines in fertility reinforced by increasing longevity continue to produce irreversible changes in the structure of all societies, notably, the historic reversal in the proportions of young and older persons. The profound, pervasive and enduring consequences of population ageing present enormous opportunities, as well as challenges for all societies.

By the middle of the twenty-first century, the old and the young are expected to represent equal 21 per cent shares of the world population. Today, the median age for the world population is 26 years. By 2050, the world median age is expected to have increased by 10 years, to 36 years. Globally, the proportion of persons aged 60 years and older is expected to double between 2000 and 2050, with the majority of older people living in developing countries.

There are other major demographic differences between developed and developing countries. While the overwhelming proportion of older persons in developed countries live in urban areas the majority of older persons in developing countries live in rural areas. Also, in developing countries a large proportion of older persons live in multi-generational households. These differences imply that policy actions and priorities will be different in developing and developed countries.

As the pace of population ageing is much faster in developing countries than in developed countries, developing countries will have less time to adjust to the consequences of population ageing. Moreover, population ageing in the developing countries is taking place at much lower levels of socio-economic development than was the case in the developed countries.

Problems rising from other demographic projections need to be addressed, as well, the United Nations said.

Older women outnumber older men, increasingly so as age increases. The fastest growing group of the older population is the oldest old: those, who are 80 years or more. This group is projected to increase more than five times over the next 50 years.

Karnali to overcome salt shortage soon

Kathmandu, Apr. 6 (RSS): Effective measures are to be taken for ensuring the uninterrupted supply of salt to the various districts of Karnali zone as an immediate step towards removing the shortage of salt in remote and dependent districts in the country.

The decision to that effect was taken Friday at a joint meeting of the iodine deficiency and cretinism control programme board of directors and MPs representing all the five districts of Karnali zone in the House of Representatives.

The meeting was organised with the objective of discussing the status of salt supply in the remote districts.

According to the programme, the Salt Trading Corporation Limited will take measures for the supply of salt to all the districts of Karnali zone without cutting back on the approved quota for these districts.

It is learnt that contractors signing agreement regarding transportation of the salt to these districts but not fulfilling their obligation will be subjected to action and new contractors will be recruited in their place for the timely supply of the commodity.

Apart from other means of transportation, helicopters of the Royal Nepalese Army will also be pressed into service for this purpose.

The meeting decided to recommend for fixing a certain quota for and distribution of salt being transported to the district headquarters by surface route at VDCs of the districts concerned lying along the transportation route.

Similarly, the meeting called for a review in the present policy of supplying the designated quota of salt only to the district headquarters and for making provisions for the supply and distribution of salt at the regional level on the basis of an all-party decision and the decision of the district police office.

In view of the present inadequacy in the quota for salt fixed for different districts of Karnali zone, the meeting decided that the quota for salt supply should be fixed on the basis of the population, the number of civil servants, police and other employees in those districts as well as the needs of the district.

A decision was also taken on setting up iodination plants in Humla, Dolpa and Mugu districts for iodizing the rock salt that are brought in from Tibet to the districts of Karnali zone and for their redistribution. It is learnt that the salt trading corporation on own expenses would install the iodination plants there.

It may be recalled here that such an iodination plant has already been set up at Tatopani of Sindhupalchowk district.

The meeting was chaired by Govinda Prasad Kusum, member of the board of directors of the iodine deficiency and cretinism control programme.

MPs from all the five districts of the Karnali zone and general manager of the Salt Trading Corporation Limited Parameshwar Mahaseth, under-secretaries at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Som Narayan Pradhan and Narayan Prasad Rajle, manager of Salt Trading Corporation Limited Girendra Upadhyaya and accountant Ram Chandra Mahato were present on the occasion.

Army Major among 5 killed in ambush

Kathmandu, Apr. 6 (RSS): Five security personnel attained martyrdom today in an electrical explosive trap laid down by the Maoist terrorists at Kotiyaghat area of Bardiya district.

An army major and four other jawans were killed in the incident, it is learnt from the Ministry of Defence.

Some of the jawans injured in the incident have been airlifted to Kathmandu and have been hospitalized at the Birendra Military Hospital for medical treatment.

Additional security forces have been mobilised in and a round the site of incident and a massive manhunt has been launched for the culprits.

Meanwhile, the ministry has stated that it highly appraises the jawans who laid down their lives for the nation and the people and wishes for eternal peace to the departed souls.

The ministry has also wished for speedy recovery of those injured.