Acute Crisis: PHCs with airconditioned AES wards, but where are the doctors?

Primary and Community Health Centres, the first rung in the state healthcare system, are now on the frontlines of the battle against Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), which has so far claimed the lives of 128 children in Bihar’s worst affected district of Muzaffarpur.

acute encephalitis syndrome, aes disease, bihar aes disease, aes disease in bihar, muzaffarpur aes disease, aes disease in muzaffarpur, india news, Indian Express — Experts have been blaming the AES deaths on ‘3G’ — Garmi, Garibi and Gaon, or Muzaffarpur’s heat, poverty and certain distinct epidemiological features, which ensure AES cases almost stop with the first rains. (Express photo by Ritesh Shukla)

Every year around this time, when temperatures in Muzaffarpur cross the 40-degree-Celsius mark, the district begins counting its losses from the deadly Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). This year, there have been 560 confirmed cases of AES, with over 120 children dying of the disease in Muzaffarpur alone, a staggering rise from the seven deaths in the district last year. Most of the deaths have been reported from three blocks in Muzaffarpur — Mushahari (12 deaths), Minapur (14) and Kanti (14).