In June of last year Bihar witnessed a spate of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) deaths in young children, centred around the Muzaffarpur district. The deaths were attributed at the time to toxic substances found within unripened lychees. However, investigations have suggested this not to be the case. Almost half of children who died due to […]
acute encephalitis
State of nutrition: A reality check for India’s worst-performing states
As India observes Poshan Maah – National Nutrition Month – Health Issues India focuses on two Indian states with the worst state of nutrition deficiency in the country. Recently, a journalist was booked by the Uttar Pradesh government for “maligning the image of the state government” after he uncovering uncovered the state government’s ostensible apathy […]
Encephalitis is not just an issue in Bihar
When it comes to encephalitis, the eyes of India have largely focused on Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district where more than 140 children are believed to have lost their lives to the condition. However, over the course of recent weeks, reports of potential outbreaks have poured in from other parts of Bihar – and from other states. […]
For Muzaffarpur, a boon from the Centre after child death tragedy
After facing criticism for dismal health infrastructure in the state of Bihar the central government has informed the Supreme Court that it intends to fund a paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) in Muzaffarpur, the district at the centre of the state’s child death tragedy. More than 150 children have died in the state following an […]
Malnutrition in Muzaffarpur – hotspot of Bihar’s encephalitis deaths
The outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district has raised eyebrows about the efficacy of healthcare infrastructure in the state. Now, one initiative aimed at combating malnutrition – implicated as a cause behind the crisis of encephalitis deaths among the district’s children – has come under scrutiny. The district ranked eighteenth out […]
Supreme Court intervenes in Bihar child deaths
The deaths of more than 100 children due to an outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar has come under the scanner of the Supreme Court. The tragedy has sparked national outrage and arrested international headlines. As the death toll passed 150 over the weekend, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of the Muzaffarpur district (where most […]
Public health infrastructure in Bihar is in the ICU
The recent tragic deaths of over a hundred children in Bihar has put the spotlight on the ailing public health infrastructure – both in the state and in the country. The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Centre and state governments over what it has termed “deplorable public health infrastructure” and reminded […]
Mystery illness in Muzaffarpur uncovered
A mysterious illness, first mentioned in the media in July 2013 yet documented to be under investigation as far back as 1995, has been uncovered. Doctors in Muzaffarpur have on a yearly basis beared witness to the disease, affecting only children, and in a third of cases proving lethal only a few hours after onset. […]