BS RAWAT
NEW DELHI : Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday issued directions for immediately sending eight advanced life support ambulances (ALS) to Bihar's Muzaffarpur in the wake of the death of a very large number of children due to suspected encephalitis.

The health minister said, “Eight additional ALS have been pressed into service for transportation of critical children under National Health Mission.”

Dr. Harsh Vardhan added that 16 senior district officials and medical staff have been sent to the vulnerable blocks for monitoring and early identification of patients and ensuring daily reporting. Their headquarters have also been moved to these blocks, he added

“District Collector has now got involved and is personally taking accountability. He has deputed the Senior Deputy Collectors/District level officers to lead various block level teams. These teams will be helped by a district level Medical Officer to do the overall work,” Dr Harsh Vardhan stated.

The health ministry in a statement said, “An ICMR team of experts also has been sent at the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital for making the virology lab functional at the earliest.”

“The multi-level team sent earlier is reviewing all the case records of AES patients, admitted and treated in 2019,” it said.