Encephalitis on rise in Gorakhpur, claims 331 lives India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Acute encephalitis that causes inflammation of the brain, is on a rise, which has so far claimed 331 lives in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh has been in the grip of the deadly disease for the last two decades. The disease is almost endemic to the region. Many children have been admitted to the B R D Medical College. The relatives of the patients are complaining of lack of doctors and medicines in the hospital. Bhupendra Singh said that the doctors are not providing treatment to the patient since three days. "The condition of this hospital is very bad as there are three to four patients on one bed. There are no doctors to look after the patients. We have to buy medicines from the markets, as there are no medicines available in the hospital. Everyday, around five to six infants die in this hospital. The relatives are feeling helpless," said Singh. Meanwhile, Dr. Rakesh Saxena , Principal of the B R D Medical College, said they are trying their level best to administer proper treatment to the patients. "The news of patients buying medicines from outside the hospital is absolutely incorrect. Our medical is well equipped with medicines and the Encephalitis patients are being treated with those medicines only. Further, I agree that there are two patients on one bed but saying that there are five to six patients on one bed is totally false," said Dr. Saxena . He added that the patients are being shifted to the new wards where they will be given individual beds. This disease is almost endemic to the region and immediate measures are required to restrain the spread of the infection any further. Encephalitis is commonly known as brain fever, Japanese encephalitis virus causes the disease, the virus is transmitted to humans by Culicine mosquitoes.