Encephalitis Outbreak: Under Flak, Bihar BJP MPs Pledge to Donate Rs 25 Lakh to Build PICUs in Respective Constituencies
Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai, who is also the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, announced on Friday that all 17 lawmakers would be contributing Rs 25 lakh for setting up PICUs -- considered to be among the most effective measures to reduce fatalities among children.
Patna, June 21: Under flak for the alleged lack of steps being taken to minimise the casualties in encephalitis outbreak, the Bihar unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked its legislators and lawmakers to extend all possible assistance to the common populace. The 17 party MPs in the state would be donating Rs 25 lakh each to build pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in Sadara Hospitals of their respective constituencies.
Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai, who is also the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, announced on Friday that all 17 lawmakers would be contributing Rs 25 lakh for setting up PICUs -- considered to be among the most effective measures to reduce fatalities among children. Death Toll on the Rise, 8 Advanced Life Support Ambulances Deployed to Transport AES Patients in Muzaffarpur
PICUs, similar to intensive care units (ICUs) for adult patients, provides highest level of medical care for sick children. The condition of minors in such units is monitored round the clock, which includes intensive nursing care and continuous monitoring of heart rate, breathing and blood pressure.
Meanwhile, the death toll due to encephalitis has jumped to 135 in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who visited the Sri Krishna Medical College -- the only government hospital in the district equipped to treat the virus affected patients, was greeted with black flags.
Questions have also been raised at the Union Health Ministry for the lack of steps taken to upgrade medical infrastructure.
Notably, the Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and the Centre-ruling BJP are ruling Bihar in alliance since 2017. The two parties were also jointly in power from 2005 to 2013.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 21, 2019 04:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).