Acute encephalitis syndrome: Jharkhand on high alert as Bihar battles health crisis
Taking the pre-emptive measures, the Jharkhand government has asked doctors to pull up their socks to tackle the situation in case of an AES outbreak in the state.
In Short
- Jharkhand govt has put all medical services on high alert to deal with possible AES outbreak
- Encephalitis outbreak has claimed lives of over 100 children in neighbouring state Bihar
- Jharkhand govt says that it wants to leave no stone unturned for any possible case
As toll of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) mounts in Bihar, the neighbouring state Jharkhand has put its medical services on alert. Sceptical over possibility of the Encephalitis outbreak in Jharkhand, the state government has asked all the medical colleges, hospitals, institution and civil surgeon to remain on high alert to deal with any emergency.
Encephalitis also known as AES, Japanese Encephalitis or Chamki Fever is a disease that causes inflammation of brain. It leads to fever and associated neurological conditions like confusion, mental disorientation, delirium or even coma. In Muzaffarpur, many victims of encephalitis had very low sugar levels. The disease has caused deaths of ovr 100 children in Bihar, this year.
Taking the pre-emptive measures, the Jharkhand government has asked doctors to pull up their socks to tackle the situation in case of an AES outbreak in the state.
Health minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi said, "Although AES is not a contagious disease, the government needs to keep the decks cleared for such patients, [what] if they [patient] somehow unwittingly arrives from Bihar and the symptoms aggravate here?"
"As Jharkhand used to be part of Bihar, people frequently commute across state borders. Also the families here have strong connections in Bihar. Especially during summer vacations, they are are chances of arrival of suspected case from our neighbouring state. We need to be ready to attend such case," the health minister added.
A closed door seminar was organised at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi to sensitise doctors about the symptoms of disease which has claimed the lives of over 100 children in Bihar this month.
The director of RIMS hospital Dr DK Singh said that it was not the time to panic but to act by acquiring information and knowledge on AES.
HOD paediatrics at RIMS Dr AK Chaudhary said that, so far, no case of Encephalitis has been detected in Jharkhand. "But we are leaving no stone unturned while preparing to deal with any eventuality," Dr AK Chaudhary said.