Will provide all help to ailing children in Bihar: Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on June 16 visited the families of the children suffering from suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur and assured them of all possible help from the Centre.

According to a release issued by the district administration on June 16, 84 children have died so far at the SKMCH and the Kejriwal hospital in Muzaffarpur. Out of 84, 70 children have died at the SKMCH.

Vardhan, his deputy Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey visited the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur.

"I assure the people of the area, especially the affected families, that the government will extend all possible help and measures to the state government," Vardhan told reporters.

State government officials, however, maintained that majority of the victims had died due to hypoglycemia, a condition caused by very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance.

Vardhan met the families at the SKMCH and held a meeting with senior officials and doctors.

Attributing heat and humidity as a possible reason behind the disease, the minister said the Ministry of Earth Sciences would help formulate an action plan with the state government to deal with the situation.

The India Meteorological Department's observatory in Muzaffarpur will be also be upgraded, he said.

Vardhan asked health officials to expedite and complete the super specialty block of the SKMCH, so that other departments of the facility could extend help and cooperation in tackling with the disease.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the deaths and announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the next of the kin of the deceased, an official release said.