GBS Cases in Pune: Ex-Corporators Urge Municipal Corporation to Extend Financial Assistance

Former Municipal Corporation corporators are urging that financial assistance for Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) patients should continue. Last month, significant numbers of GBS cases were reported in Nandedgaon, Kirkatwadi, Nandoshi, Dhayri, and DSK Vishwa along Sinhagad Road. The Municipal Corporation has been offering Rs 2 lakh for treatment under the Urban Poor Scheme and Rs 1 lakh for others.

Although measures to manage the outbreak have been effective, with only one new case reported weekly, the administration plans to cease financial support from March 1 due to the year-round occurrence of GBS, making it impractical to assist all patients. 

In this context, former opposition leader Ujjwal Keskar, along with Suhas Kulkarni and Prashant Badhe, questioned whether the GBS epidemic has truly been eradicated. They noted that the department has neither consulted the state health department nor received any directives regarding this matter from state or central authorities. Therefore, they believe the financial assistance should continue.