All private hospitals and nursing homes had been directed not to admit patients with suspected Japanese encephalitis (JE) and acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), Said Gaya district magistrate (DM) Abhishek Singh on Thursday.

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The districts health committee organized an awareness workshop addressing encephalitis; the DM revealed that he had received complaints against private hospitals that charged an exorbitant fee from patients without providing correct diagnosis and treatment. He said, “They later refer patients to government hospitals.”

Singh instructed Gaya civil surgeon Rajindra Prasad to inform all private hospitals and nursing homes about the decision. He said, “Those, admitting patients with suspected JE and AES, will be punished.”

At least 51 patients with suspected JE and AES were admitted to the Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH) in the last few days and 14 deaths reported, a source claimed. Out of 14, six suffered from JE, despite the fact that two of them had been immunized against the disease.

At the same time, Dr. M E Haq vector-borne disease officer confirmed that even immunized children could fall prey to JE, Rajindra Prasad talked about preventive measures like cleanliness, fogging and use of mosquito nets.

“The authorities have been given two weeks’ time to seal the hospital boundary in order to prevent the entry of pigs and other stray animals,” the said DM when asking about unhygienic conditions on ANMMCH premises.

All the government doctors posted in Gaya district leaves had been canceled due to the outbreak of AES and JE in the region. The DM claimed that the leave cancellation order would be effective until September.

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Source: The Economic Times