Harsh Vardhan to visit encaphilitis-ravaged Bihar

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said he would be making a visit to Bihar to assess the situation after encaphilitis caused deaths of children there.

The Minister of Health and Family Welfare told ANI, "When news about children's death from encaphilitis started trickling in, he held a meeting with secretaries of Health Ministry from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other officers."

He said, "In that meeting, they came to a conclusion that a campaign should be rolled out on 22nd and 23rd of this month. In this campaign, all kids afflicted with encephalitis will be found and vaccinated in all of UP and Bihar and in all other places where kids have been affected by this disease."

Vardhan said, he was also able to arrange for special beds, more than 100 ventilators, specialised CCU facilities and ICU facilities.

He added that they were able to set up lab facilities in Gorakhpur, and Bihar with the help of team from Centre for Disease Control, Atlanta, and National Virology lab, Pune.