Govt to provide free ambulance service for encephalitis patients

encephalitis

In order to control the spread of encephalitis in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the state government has decided to provide free-of-cost ambulance service to all encephalitis patients between July 15 and November 15.

All the community health centres in Gorakhpur and Basti divisions have been provided with an ambulance each. Pediatricians have also been posted for the encephalitis season.

A government order for providing free of cost ambulances to the encephalitis patients was issued today, said Dr Ramji Lal, Director General, Medical and Health. Till now, Rs 5 per kilometre was charged from patients for availing the ambulance service, he said.

“A meeting was held by Principal Secretary in both Gorakhpur and Basti division today, in which the Principal Secretary gave these orders,” said the DG.


All the District Magistrates of both the divisions as well as various other government officials attended the meeting and were given instructions for better management of the disease in the coming season, said Lal.
Around 100 pediatricians from nearby districts have been posted for one month each on a roaster basis at CHCs in Gorakhpur Division and 28 have been posted in Basti division to fill up the vacant position of doctors for the encephalitis season. At least 15 ambulances have been stationed in each district to rush the patients to district hospital or BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, as per the need.

In the first week of July, the DG himself will visit all the districts of the two divisions to review the situation. Every 15 days after that, a team of joint directors will visit the encephalitis-hit area to review the position of CHC and PHC in the districts.

These joint directors will create awareness amongst the public so that the AES patients are rushed to the CHC as soon as possible rather than family members taking the patients to quacks for initial treatment.