Health.India.com » Mysterious disease in Bihar

Bihar Encephalitis Update: Monetary compensation for casualties’ families

India.com Health — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 03:05:58 +0000

According to health officials, some 69 children have died in Muzaffarpur, 10 in Gaya and 42 in Patna due to AES. Encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease, claimed nearly 150 lives in Muzaffarpur and Gaya districts last year. A monetary compensation of Rs 50000 will be provided to the families of children who died of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar.

This will be done through the chief minister’s relief fund to the kin of children dying of AES. ”This decision was taken by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in view that most of the victims belonged to poorest of the poor section,” an official in chief minister office said. Bihar Health Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey said that government is ready to check and control the disease.

“We have alerted district health officials and asked them to provide treatment immediately if such case is found,” he said. The health department has constituted teams of doctors in six most affected districts of Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, east Champaran and Vaishali, to identify patients for treatment, said principal Health Secretary Vayasji. ”All medical college and hospitals have been directed to provide free medicines to patients showing symptoms of AES,” he said. Control rooms will be set up at civil surgeon level in hospitals and medical colleges, Vayasji added.

Source: IANS

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome – Bihar’s mystery disease finally has a name!

India.com Health — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 09:14:38 +0000

Finally the mystery disease has a name. The disease that has killed more than 100 children across three districts of Bihar in the past fortnight has been identified as acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), the government has confirmed and sounded a red alert to tackle the crisis. ”The disease has been identified as AES but it is treatable,” Health Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey told IANS after 109 children died in Muzaffarpur, Gaya and Patna districts. Till Sunday, Choubey and top health officials had been denying that the deaths, which had caused the opposition to raise the issue in a big way, was due to encephalitis.

According to the latest estimates by officials, 57 children have died in Muzaffarpur, 10 in Gaya and 42 in Patna. Choubey said the state government expected the central government to help check and control the disease. Last year, encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease, claimed nearly 150 lives in Muzaffarpur and Gaya districts.

Should the disease be declared an epidemic?

Source: IANS

Should the mystery encephalitis-like disease be declared an epidemic?

India.com Health — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 02:44:58 +0000

The Bihar state government has urged the centre to declare a mysterious disease that has killed 102 children an epidemic, Health Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey said. Following the deaths of children in Muzaffarpur, Gaya and Patna districts in the past fortnight, Choubey said the state government wanted the central government’s intervention. ”It is now urgent to declare it an epidemic. The state will approach the central government for this,” Choubey told the media here. He earlier chaired a meeting of health officials and doctors called by the Bihar unit of the Indian Medical Association. Eighteen more children died in Muzaffarpur in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 57 in the district. Ten children have died in Gaya.

Besides, 35 children have died in the Patna Medical College and Hospital(PMCH) in the past 15 days. Sanjata Choudhary, head of the department of paediatric in PMCH, said 80 children suffering from the disease were admitted to the hospital. For the first time since the reports of deaths appeared, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday said it was a big challenge that a brain fever like disease had claimed the lives of so many children in the state. Choubey said the government expected the central government to help check and control the mysterious disease. Some doctors and health officials have reportedly said the children were showing symptoms similar to encephalitis. Last year, encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease, claimed nearly 150 lives in Muzaffarpur and Gaya districts.

Source: IANS

Bihar mysterious disease toll at 81; Central Govt help sought

India.com Health — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 03:08:09 +0000

After the ‘encephalitis-like’ disease claimed 81 innocent lives in Bihar, the doctors still have not been able to figure out what to do about it. They now seek help from the central government to tackle it, officials said.

“We expect central government help and support to check and control the mysterious disease,” Health Minister Ashwini Choubey said.

Seven more children died in Muzaffarpur in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 37 in the district. Ten children have died in Gaya.

Besides, 34 children have died in the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in the past 15 days.

Dr. Sujata Choudhary, head of the department of paediatric in the PMCH, said 80 children suffering from the disease were admitted to the hospital, of which 34 died.

Health officials here said that over four dozen children suffering from “a mysterious disease” had been admitted to hospitals in the other two districts.

Choubey visited hospitals in Muzaffarpur Friday night and Gaya Saturday to take stock of the situation.

He denied reports that the children were dying of suspected encephalitis and said the department was yet to determine the exact cause of deaths.

“It may be due to acute encephalopathy syndrome, including heat stroke,” Chobey said.

Some doctors and health officials have reportedly said the children were showing symptoms similar to encephalitis.

Opposition parties Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Lok Janshakti Party, the Congress and the Nationalist Congres Party blamed the state government for the deaths. “The state government is responsible for children’s deaths,” RJD chief Lalu Prasad said.

Last year, encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease, claimed nearly 150 lives in Muzaffarpur and Gaya districts.

Source: IANS

73 innocent kids die due to ‘mysterious’ disease in Bihar in 15 days

India.com Health — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 18:44:11 +0000

An as yet unidentified “mysterious” disease with symptoms similar to encephalitis has claimed the lives of 73 children in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, Gaya and Patna districts during the past fortnight, officials said Friday.

State health department officials held an emergency meeting here Friday to take stock of the situation, even as they were yet to determine the cause of the deaths.

Till date, 30 children have died in Muzaffarpur and nine in Gaya. Besides, 34 children have succumbed to the disease in the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in the last 15 days.

Dr. Sujata Choudhary, head of the department of paediatric in the PMCH, said 80 children suffering from acute encephalitis syndrome were admitted to the hospital, of which 34 died. She said over four dozen children suffering from “a mysterious disease” had been admitted to hospitals in the other two districts. Some doctors and health officials have reportedly said the children were showing symptoms similar to encephalitis.

Health Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey and Principal Secretary (Health) Amarjit Sinha, however, denied reports that the children were dying of suspected encephalitis. ”The causes are yet to be ascertained,” Choubey said.

Last year, encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease, claimed nearly 150 lives in Muzaffarpur and Gaya districts.

Source: IANS