Engaging in violence with doctors who are there to save lives isn't acceptable: Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday said he was against violence on doctors and had conveyed the same to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other medical associations in a meeting in West Bengal.

"Being a doctor and health minister I have shared my views regularly with the doctors, Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other medical organisations. Any person who thinks objectively will understand that engaging in violence with doctors who are there to save lives is not acceptable," Harsh Vardhan told ANI here.

Meanwhile, IMA held a pan-India doctors strike on Monday in solidarity with the doctors protesting in West Bengal. Healthcare services across the country continue to be disrupted due to the strike.

Talking about the deaths due to encephalitis in Bihar, Harsh Vardhan said the Centre wants to set up a specialized research unit in Bihar to find out the cause behind the disease and was going to send another specialized team to carry out the same.

"Our teams are already stationed there, I myself went there to meet the patients and doctors from AIIMS Patna to figure out the future course of action. We are again sending another team to research and find out the reason behind this strain of Encephalitis," Harshvardhan said.

The death toll due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur rose to 100 on Monday, officials said.

Sunil Kumar Shahi, Superintendent at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), said, "Death toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur has risen to 100."

According to official data, 83 children have died in Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), while 17 have lost their lives in Kejriwal hospital in the city.