Patna: Angry people raised slogans against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday when he visited a hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, where nearly 100 children had died so far due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES).
He was greeted by the hostile relatives of the patients. The protesters complained of lack of facilities, non-supply of medicines, absence of drinking water facilities in the wards where their children were admitted. Till Tuesday noon,138 children have died.
Nitish who was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Urban Development Minister Suresh Sharma and senior officers had to face ‘go back’ and ‘murdabad’ slogans till he stayed inside the hospital. Hundreds of people had assembled outside when chief minister’s carcade reached the hospital premises.
Some parents alleged they were not allowed to enter the hospital by the police men on security reasons, even though they showed the hospital prescriptions of their children. They had gone to the nearest pharmacy and chemists shop to bring medicines.
Chief Minister went to different wards of the hospital and talked to the doctors who informed 107 children died in SKM Hospital only.
Nitish did not talk to the media persons and flew back to Patna, where chief secretary Dipak Kumar talked to the newsmen. He said the chief minister has directed construction of a 2500-bed hospital at Muzaffarpur, socio-economic survey of the families of the over 400 children who were admitted in the hospital and construct a dharmshala for the attendants.
Contrary to the claim of the chief secretary, patients were seen bringing their children on carts from Bochha, 9 kms from SK Memorial Hospital. Chief secretary on Monday had claimed adequate number of ambulances were present for the encephalitis patients. Most of the patients brought to Muzaffarpur hospital were from Mushahari, Kanti and Minapur blocks.
By CHHAYA MISHRA
