Public health dept issues SOP for GBS patient management; three fresh cases reported in Pune
The public health department, on Thursday, issued a series of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to all district collectors in the state for management and surveillance of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases.
The GBS can be stressful for the patients and their relatives. The Rapid Response Team (RRT) should provide counselling for them to provide emotional support. For the treatment of GBS patients, the help of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY), Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), and Chief Minister Relief Fund schemes can be availed. Besides, the municipal corporations and zilla parishad can come up with their own schemes, read the guidelines issued by the secretary of the public health department.
Pune district on Thursday reported three fresh suspected GBS cases, taking the total number of cases to 130. “Out of the total cases, 25 patients are from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) areas, 74 are from newly added villages in PMC limits, 13 are from Pimpri-Chinchwad, nine are from Pune rural areas, and nine are from other districts. Among them, 20 patients are on ventilator support,” said, Dr Babita Kamlapurkar, joint director of health services.
Furthermore, the SOP stated, that the collectors should make sure there are adequate medicines and medical equipment available for treatment of GBS patients at both private and government hospitals.
PCMC starts surveillance
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), chief Shekhar Singh has directed officials to test water samples supplied by private tankers and drinking water distributed in jars. The civic body has started taking preventive measures to ensure that contaminated water does not enter the city’s water supply system. The concerned departments have been instructed to take strict precautions.
Furthermore, a campaign to test water samples supplied through municipal pipelines in areas where suspected cases have been found is being intensified. Singh has also instructed officials to collect and test water samples from private wells, bore wells, and water supplied through tankers.
Supriya Sule visits GBS-affected villages
The NCP (SP) party, MP from Baramati, Supriya Sule visited the GBS-affected area on Thursday. Sule, said, there is an atmosphere of fear among the citizens due to the cases. “The spike in cases is due to the fault of the government and they should provide free treatment to the patients,” she said.
Sule informed the issue will be raised in the district planning and development committee meeting to demand all patients should get free treatment for GBS irrespective of their residential address.
The MP, further stated there is a dire need to have a water treatment and filtration plant in the affected area. The rising water and air pollution in Pune and adjoining areas is alarming. “I have spoken to the respective central minister and discussed the issue. The central ministry has assured to find a solution to the issue and look into it. I will demand the funds and experts for pollution elimination and measures,” she said.
