Gorakhpur:
At least 20 people have succumbed to encephalitis in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district in the last three days, taking the toll up to 297 this year.
23 new patients have been admitted to the BRD hospital since yesterday. There are about 1800 patients suffering from encephalitis in the hospitals.
"Children have developed several problems, including swelling in different parts of the body," says Dr K P Kushwaha, Pediatrician and Principal of BRD medical College and Hospital.
Congress leader Jagdambika Pal, who is visiting the affected children, admits there is a lack of medicines and doctors, and that the hospital is lacking in facilities.
"I will write a letter to the Chief Minister asking for a solution to this problem. The doctors are working hard despite of there being no adequate arrangements," he said.
"Government should allocate the budget of almost 8000 crore to Gorakhpur medical college," Mr Pal added.
Diwakar Prasad, Additional Director (Health), Gorakhpur Division, said a total of 1,675 encephalitis patients were admitted to different government hospitals of the region this year, of which 281 died.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has summoned the state's principal secretary, health, to Delhi on October 3 to explain the position.
NCPCR member Yogesh Dubey told reporters that because of the intervention of the Commission, the Centre has cleared several proposals to check deaths of children due to encephalitis.
Mr Dubey said the Uttar Pradesh government has not worked according to the directives of the Commission and added that work done to tackle the disease in UP was negligible.
He said the Commission directed the government to conduct a death audit and mapping of malnourished children at war footing, but the government did not respond.
(With inputs from Press Trust of India)