Patna: Bihar government will bear the medical expenses of all children suffering from encephalitis. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the health department to take necessary measures.
He held an emergency meeting with the officials of health and disaster management departments on Monday and asked the officials to arrange free ambulance for the patients and reimburse the expenses of private ambulances.
Nitish also asked the officials to arrange all medical facilities in the primary health centres and supply adequate normal saline bottles. Chief Secretary Dipak Kumar also said the CM has instructed all district magistrates to ensure closure of markers and commercial establishments between 10 am and 5 pm.
As the death toll of the encephalitis patients rose to 128 on Monday, the National Human Rights Commission issued notice to the Bihar government seeking reports within four weeks on the status of health measures taken to contain encephalitis. Commission has sought report of number of patients in different districts and facilities in the hospitals to treat them.
The Central government is sending a team of doctors from AIIMS, New Delhi on Tuesday to Muzaffarpur, where 104 children died in SK Memorial Government hospital and Kezriwal hospital. Chief secretary said 440 children were admitted in the government run hospitals in these districts.'
By CHHAYA MISHRA
