Follow Muzaffarpur model to curb AES, Bihar CM tells districts

PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday asked the DMs of different acute encephalitis syndrome (AES)-affected districts to follow Muzaffarpur model of positive intervention and take all necessary steps to save children from the disease.
Chairing a high-level review meeting on AES, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), kala-azar and heatwave through videoconferencing from ‘Samvad’ hall at his residence, Nitish said, “Whatever works are being done in the five AES-affected blocks in Muzaffarpur district on the basis of socio-economic survey should be implemented in all AES-affected districts across the state.”
In 2019, the state government had conducted a thorough socio-economic survey in five worst AES-affected blocks of Muzaffarpur district.The blocks were Kanti, Bochaha, Meenapur, Musahri and Paroo. At the directive of the CM, the volunteers of Jeevika had conducted a socio-economic survey of 538 families in the five blocks.
On the basis of the findings of the survey, the state government made several positive interventions and implemented certain schemes among the below poverty line (BPL) families in the five blocks.
“As part of the positive interventions, all children up to the age of 5 years (of these five blocks) were enrolled with anganwadi centres and provided nutritious meals. New anganwadi centres were also opened. All AES-affected families were provided ration cards. Toilets were also made in their houses,” an official of the Jeevika, who was part of the socio-economic survey, told TOI on Wednesday.
“Then, it was also decided to provide ‘pucca’ houses to all those AES-affected families who were not included on the list of beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana or the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana,” the official said.
While reviewing the actions taken by different districts for prevention of children from the AES or JE, the CM further asked the DMs to provide a ‘pucca’ house to all eligible beneficiaries in the AES-affected areas so that their children could be protected from this deadly disease.
During the review meeting, Nitish also asked the health officials to make a robust arrangement in all the AES-affected districts to ensure proper treatment of children as per the AES treatment protocol.
He also asked the DMs to begin an awareness campaign in the affected areas and inform people that no children should be allowed to go to sleep without having a meal in the evening.
The CM also asked the health officials and the DMs to take all necessary steps to ensure that no AES-affected families face any kind of inconvenience. “There will be no dearth of funds for providing facilities to the AES-affected families,” he said.
Nitish also ordered completion of the remaining work for JE vaccination in Kaimur, Khagaria and Begusarai districts.
He asked the health officials and the DMs to make necessary arrangements in hospitals for treatment of people suffering from heatwave and kala-azar.
Additional chief secretary (health) Pratyaya Amrit made a detailed presentation before the CM on the district-wise current status of AES, JE, heatwave and kala-azar and the steps being taken by the state government to save people from the diseases.
Former DM of Muzaffarpur Chandrashekhar Singh, who is currently posted as Patna DM, gave detailed information about the works started in Muzaffarpur district to save the children from AES.
The district magistrates of Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, West Champaran, Vaishali, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Saran, Siwan, Gopalganj, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, Jehanabad and Nalanda informed the CM about the latest status of AES, JE, heatwave and kala-azar in their respective districts.