Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday visited the SKMCH Hospital in Muzaffarpur, to take stock of the situation after Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) claimed over 100 lives in the district. Today one child was declared dead due to the disease outbreak at the Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital in Nalanda.
Angry relatives of the patients raised protests against Kumar and waved black flags at the Chief Minister as he arrived at the SKMCH to take stock of the situation. "Nitish Kumar go back" they shouted.
The chief minister left after meeting with doctors and officials of the hospital but did not speak to media or stop to listen to grievances of the public in the hospital premises.
Suresh Sharma, a minister from Muzzafarpur, however, spoke to reporters and said: "A review meeting was held over the cause of an outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). So far, around 200 children have been treated and discharged from hospitals. In the meeting, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reviewed the situation and inquired about the root cause of this problem. Discussions were held for treating AES".
SK Shahi, the medical superintendent of SKMCH, Muzaffarpur said, "The CM met the patients and their relatives. He was satisfied with the present medical treatment being provided and ordered us to release a bulletin daily at 3 pm. He was pained by the fact that adequate facilities for treatment were not available here.
As many as 89 children have died in Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), while 19 others lost their lives in Kejriwal Hospital.
Superintendent of SKMCH said, "330 children were admitted out which 100 have been discharged and 45 people will be discharged today."
Earlier the chief minister had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the families of those who died.
Meanwhile, in Nalanda Bihar Sharif Sadar hospital superintendant said: "One child has died and more than six have been admitted."
( With inputs from ANI )