11 kids die in Children?s Hospital in eight days

MALARIA and viral encephalitis epidemic has hit the rural Allahabad and adjoining districts with double intensity. Shockingly, as many as 11 children died due to suspected viral encephalitis and other mosquito borne diseases at the Sarojini Naidu Children's Hospital here between September 1 and 8. The worst affected area is Pratapgarh, where viral encephalitis has taken the form of epidemic. But the malaria department is yet to wake up from the apparent complacency.

Suspected viral encephalitis, malaria raging in region

MALARIA and viral encephalitis epidemic has hit the rural Allahabad and adjoining districts with double intensity.

Shockingly, as many as 11 children died due to suspected viral encephalitis and other mosquito borne diseases at the Sarojini Naidu Children's Hospital here between September 1 and 8.

The worst affected area is Pratapgarh, where viral encephalitis has taken the form of epidemic. But the malaria department is yet to wake up from the apparent complacency.

According to the hospital records, 11 children including, Rahul of Kamla Nagar, Sushma of Civil Lines, Santoshi, Sujal, Anjana, Gyan, Lakshmi, Arjun and Manish died in the past one week due to diarrhoea, malaria, viral encephalitis and other mosquito borne diseases.

The SN Children's Hospital is also daily receiving a large number of 'brain fever' patients from Pratapgarh. The beds have become full and even two children share the same bed. Most of the parents are not even informed about the illness of their child, who could only tell that their kid was suffering from high fever, headache, disorientation, coma and seizures.

In the past two days, as many as three children suffering from suspected viral encephalitis and malaria from Pratapgarh district were admitted to Emergency Ward of the hospital. These are Mohini Devi (6) of Sonasaraiyan, Nitya Tripathi of Gaura and Manisha (2) of Lalganj in Pratapgarh. Barring Manisha, the other two children are still critical.

The other high fever patients who were admitted to the hospital in the past one week, include Sushil (6) of Kaudihar, Abhishek (five months) of Ballia, Radhika (eight months) of Hanumanganj and Kalicharan (5) of Mahewa Ghat (Kaushambi).

Father of three-month-old boy from Chitrakoot, said his son was diagnosed as suffering from pneumonia and later with brain fever. He was admitted to the hospital about five days back and is still not responding to the medicines, he said.

Meanwhile, the hospital is also turning away many patients owing to paucity of beds. A senior staff nurse said the number of suspected viral encephalitis and malaria patients have suddenly increased in the past 15 days. "Many staff are doing extra duty to manage these patients, as some of them are very serious.

However, the hospital is providing them all the medicines and other facilities," she said.

Additional Director (Allahabad Division) Dr GC Srivastava said it was a serious matter if a large number of suspected viral encephalitis cases were reporting from Pratapgarh. "The Pratapgarh health department will be asked to send the details of all the malaria and encephalitis patients. The matter will also be inquired at every level to identify the loopholes in malaria control programme," he added.