Health Adda

Shubham, a 17 year old student of Modern School and son of our colleague, died in a two wheelr accident last week, sending shock waves, sorrow and remorse in our hearts yet again. We all know that two-wheelers are the backbone of the middle class especially of its youth. W ith 45 lac new two wheelers hitting Indian roads every year and 12 000 new registrations every day accidents are bound to rise. The number of precious young lives being lost is however disproportionaly high with 115,000 deaths every year in Delhi alone. The recurring and haunting theme that runs through all these tragedies is that they were not wearing helmets while riding their two wheelers. Why then do riders not wear helmets? Road research instistute cite these as the common excuses: 1.           “I am a good driver. It cant happen to me” 2.           “There are no cops on this route at this time” 3.            “I am going a very short distance” 4.            “Where do I keep it?” 5.            “

When Mahadev, a 35 year old father of 3, who works in our department as an attendant, had consulted me 2 years ago for an ulcer on one side of his tongue that was refusing to heal, I recall how sad and worried I had felt telling his family that he was suffer ing from cancer. Fortunately, the stage was early and surgical removal offered hopes of a cure. When we called on him after surgery, he was in some pain, with one half of his toungue chopped off and stiched. He had difficulty articulating, but seemed relieved that the cancer was gone. Subsequently, he had to undergo radiation therapy to kill any possible remaining cancer cells in the vicinity of his mouth. Two years later, he seems fine except of the asymmetry of his mouth, but fearful whether the disease might return. He has resolutely kicked his Gutkha habit and wishes that he had done it much earlier before the cancer had struck. India leads the world in mouth cancer with 65,000 people getting it each year, almost