AES Outbreak in Bihar: Toll rises to 63; Health Minister holds meeting with Doctors

Muzaffarpur- Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey today visited Muzaffarpur to take stock of the situation following the outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur and adjoining districts claiming lives of 63 children so far.

Mr Pandey held a meeting with doctors at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital and said the government was very concerned over the situation and was activating its machinery at all levels to deal with the situation.

Later, he told newspersons here that the government was fully prepared to deal with the situation and was taking all possible steps to prevent deaths of children due to AES. He said awareness was being created and adequate medicines were also available at all government hospitals. The condition of nearly 27 children at the hospital has improved remarkably and they would be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. He said six additional ambulances had been provided at SKMCH.

Providing details, Muzaffarpur civil surgeon Dr Shailesh Prasad Singh said that 52 deaths were reported from Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) and 11 from Kejriwal Hospital in Muzaffarpur. He said that 68 children afflicted with symptoms akin to AES were undergoing treatment at SKMCH, out of which condition of nine children was serious. He said nine children suffering from AES were undergoing treatment at Kejriwal Hospital and condition of five of them was serious.

Mr Singh said that awareness for control of the disease was being created among people through public address system and pamphlets and arrangement had been made for door to door distribution of ORS packets. He said Asha and Anganwadi workers had been involved in instructing people how to prepare ORS solution and also other activities to arrest the spread of the infection.