NEW DELHI (PTI Dec 22, 2014): Government today admitted in Lok Sabha that its
measures to end encephalitis were not getting desired results as members voiced
concern over the disease claiming lives of 1,495 people, mostly children, so
far this year.
In a bid to increase efficacy of its drive against 'brain
fever', which has been rather severe in parts of eastern UP and Bihar, Health
Minister J P Nadda said the Centre will also involve MPs, MLAs and local bodies
in this.
Yogi Adityanath ( BJP) was critical of the Centre, ruled by
his party, saying whatever it was doing was not visible on the ground and more
children have died in his constituency Gorakhpur than those killed by terrorism
across the country.
"Despite our policies and funding, the results which
should have come are not coming. We are alive to the sentiments expressed by
members and committed to deal with the disease," Nadda said.
Citing figures, he said five most affected states except for
Tamil Nadu have failed in spending central fund released to fight 'brain
fever'. Bihar and West Bengal have used less than one per cent, Assam less than
10 per cent while UP has not sent even details, he said. Tamil Nadu has spent
over 49 per cent.
While Japanese Encephalitis has been contained to some
extent due to immunisation, which has been completed in 59 of 60 high priority
districts, other forms of acute encephalitis syndrome continue to target
children.
Nadda said contaminated drinking water is a key reason
behind encephalitis and regions having a low coverage of routine immunisation
too suffer more from from it.
Measures require inter-ministerial consultations and there
are many "bottlenecks", he said and went on to assure members that
the Centre will effectively implement them.
Though encephalitis normally affects children below the age
of 15, data has revealed that many adults are being affected, particularly by
JE, Nadda said.
The total number of cases was 8,344 in 2012, 7,825 in 2013
and 9,912 by December 17 this year and the number of deaths it caused was
1,256, 1,273 and 1,495 in corresponding period.
Maximum reported numbers of cases - 3,291 - this year were
from Uttar Pradesh followed by 2,317 in West Bengal, 2,194 in Assam and 866 in
Bihar.
Raising the issue through a Calling Attention, Aditynath
said surveillance system in UP is "non-existent" and no facilities
are available at district hospitals.
It was decided during a meeting chaired by former Health
Minister Harsh Vardhan that Gorakhpur will have a regional virology centre, but
it has not been set up yet, he said.
"Children of Gorakhpur have become guinea pigs for
researchers from India and abroad as they come to study their cases but their
plight remains," he said.
Jagdambika Pal (BJP), Ashwini Kumar Choubey (BJP), Adhir
Ranjan Chowdhury (Congress) and B Mahtab (BJD) also spoke. (See News Here)
For whole debate, see pdf copy of Loksabha here ( Part-1 Part-2 )
See full texts of debate here:
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