Muzzafarpur: Case filed against Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan

A case was filed against Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Monday by social worker Tamanna Hashmi for alleged failure to take adequate steps for spreading awareness about encephalitis disease.

"The death of children could have been minimised or prevented had the government taken steps to spread awareness about encephalitis when there was time. Being the Central and State ministers for Health, it is the responsibility of Harsh Vardhan and Mangal Pandey to spread awareness and prevent the spread of the disease," Hashmi told ANI here.

He added that he was distraught by the deaths of so many children in Bihar due to the outbreak of the disease and therefore he had filed the case against the two.

"I am distraught by the death of so many children from the state and that is why I filed a case against the two in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM)," Hashmi said.

Earlier, officials said the death toll due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur has risen to 100.

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 lost their lives in Kejriwal hospital in the city.