Worried with the 98 death of children in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur in encephalitis, Meghalaya government has geared up against the outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis in the Garo hills.
In view of the outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis cases in Tura, an emergency meeting was held on Thursday with the officials of the Tura Municipal Board, health department and veterinary department.
According to the Senior Medical and Health Officer of West Garo hills district, 13 patients have tested positive for Japanese Encephalitis till June 19.
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Immediate instructions were issued to the officials of the Tura Municipal Board to start fogging in the entire town to avert the spread of the epidemic. Extra fogging machines were also dispatched from Shillong.
Meghalaya’s Health and Family Welfare minister A L. Hek convened an emergency meeting with senior officials of the health department to review the situation.
The State Nodal Officer of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme has been directed to reach Tura immediately and monitor the situation.
Hek also took stock of the availability of medicines and treatment facilities in the Garo hills districts. The DHS (MI) has been directed to provide all possible medical care and containment measures.
Dr. S.D. Mazumdar, the Regional Director of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Shillong on Thursday left for Tura to take stock of the spread of Japanese Encephalitis cases in the Garo hills.
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Experts from the Vector-Borne Diseases Division of the Ministry of Health and Welfare have also been directed to rush to Tura to guide the ground staff about the measures to be initiated to check the spread of Japanese Encephalitis.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma is also in constant touch with the health department officials to ensure that there are no fatalities in Garo hills districts due to Japanese Encephalitis.