Inter-disiciplinary research centres must work round the year at places prone to AES: Min

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Tuesday said inter-disciplinary research centres should function throughout the year at places that are prone to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) disease. The minister was replying in the Rajya Sabha to a query from RJD member Manoj Kumar Jha, who wanted to know the steps that have been taken by the Centre to tackle the deadly disease.

Over 130 people, mostly children, have so far died in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar due to AES. Vardhan said that AES disease is similar to Encephalitis, but there are different views about its cause.

The cause could be toxic, metabolic, viral, bacterial and fungal, he said adding that adequate research work is being carried out in this regard. Vardhan stressed that state-of-the-art inter-disciplinary research centres should work consistently throughout the year in places like Muzaffarpur where the disease is endemic.

Replying to a separate query on the spread of Nipah virus in some districts of Kerala, the minister said the best way to handle all this is by having the best possible surveillance system for various diseases. "Of course, there is already a robust surveillance system in the whole country. I

think, there is a well-established system in Kerala too. But, there is always scope to further better the facilities that we are already providing to our people. You cannot eradicate the diseases that are endemic to a particular place. But you can certainly handle them in a far better fashion by early diagnosis," he added. Last year, Nipah virus was detected in Kerala, in which, unfortunately, seventeen people, out of nineteen, had died, Vardhan said, adding that it has been detected in Kerala this year as well.

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