The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Central and Bihar governments on the steps taken to prevent death of children due to the outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur.
A vacation Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B.R. Gavai asked the State government to explain in an affidavit the facilities dealing with public health, nutrition and sanitation for treatment of children suffering from AES.
The order came while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking the court’s intervention following the death of over 126 children due to AES. It noted that the issue raised in the PIL was of grave concern as the victims were children.
During the hearing, the Bench was informed that similar deaths had occurred in Uttar Pradesh. Following this, the Bench directed the State government to also submit its reply on the issue as well.
The petition filed by advocates Manohar Pratap and Sanpreet Singh Ajmani stated that there was complete failure of the State machinery to deal with the wide outbreak of AES or ‘Chamki Bukhar’
“There is no availability of doctors, beds, intensive care units, medical professionals to deal with an epidemic level situation, which has resulted in more than 126 reported deaths of children in State of Bihar particularly in Muzaffarpur and its adjoining areas,” the plea said.
The disease was completely curable and that most of the deaths were occurring due to lack of medical facilities in the area of outbreak, it said.
It quoted media reports which reported that the Superintendent of SK Medical College, Muzaffarpur, where most of the affected children are being treated had expressed his inability to cure the affected children due to acute shortage of medical facilities.
The advocates sought a direction to the Centre and the Bihar government to immediately arrange 500 ICU (intensive care units) with required medical professionals to deal with the emergent situation.
The petition also sought a compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs each for the family of the deceased.