Journalism of Courage
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has claimed around 3,000 lives in the last two years, mostly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and West Bengal. In 2014, 1,711 deaths were reported due to AES, while it had killed 1,273 patients in 2013 as against 1,256 in the previous year.
A total of 6,867 people have lost their lives due to the encephalitis syndrome in six years, even as the Centre spent Rs 1,221 crore from 2013 for treatment and control of AES.
The spurt of encephalitis in the last four years has forced the Union Cabinet “adopt a national programme with a multi-pronged strategy for prevention and control of AES in 60 high-endemic districts of five states” – Assam, Bihar, UP, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
Uttar Pradesh is the worst affected with 3,422 deaths in six years, followed by Assam (1,320), Bihar (1,072), West Bengal (736) and Tamil Nadu (120). These figures came in response to an RTI query from Delhi University law student and Muzaffarpur (worst AES-affected Bihar district) resident Abhishek Ranjan.
The RTI reply revealed that Japanese Encephalitis (JE) was observed for the first time in 1955 in Vellore. Since 2012, deaths due to AES have been increasing annually.
The Cabinet recently approved a national programme, which involves Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as nodal agency, Ministry of Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Housing and Poverty Alleviation and Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Under the national programme for prevention and control of JE/AES, the Centre aims at strengthening expansion of JE vaccination in affected districts, vector control, case management by establishing 10-bedded pediatric ICU in 60 district hospitals.
The government has also provided for “adequate facilities for physical, medical, neurological and social rehabilitation” and improvement of nutritional status of children at risk of JE and AES.
On query for steps taken for rehabilitation of children disabled by JE or AES, the RTI reply enumerated measures such as “establishment of physical medicine and rehabilitation department in 10 medical colleges of five affected districts”. Counselling centres are also being opened in 60 district hospitals in the affected states.
“The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is also establishing district disability rehabilitation centre at 15 endemic districts for surviving disabled children,” said the government reply.
