Central team visits Bengal hospital: encephalitis deaths

Kolkata: Concerned about the rising cases of encephalitis in West Bengal, a team of Central government doctors visited North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMC) on Thursday. The team comprising two doctors discussed the nature of treatment given to the patients and the difficulties the hospital authorities are facing.

The visit comes in the wake of a letter by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stating that he would send teams to the state. Meanwhile, doctors said that there is a drop in the cases of patients suffering from acute encephalitis syndrome and Japanese encephalitis.

One patient died at NBMC in the last 24 hours and about 40 patients are undergoing treatment.

Since January, over 100 persons have died because of acute encephalitis syndrome and Japanese encephalitis. Doctors at NBMC said while the medical college has a capacity of 599 beds, the number of patients coming there is higher that it can accommodate.

“Persons with any kind of fever are coming to the hospital and as a result, a crisis of bed has surfaced. Many patients are lying on the floor of the hospital.”

The State health department has also directed municipalities, particularly in north Bengal, to take mosquito-eradication measures and move piggeries out of human habitation.