Maharashtra CM instructs Health Department to cover GBS treatment under State insurance scheme
Maharashtra CM instructs Health Department to cover GBS treatment under State insurance scheme
Amid the surge in the Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday (January 28, 2025), reviewed and instructed officials to make necessary arrangements in a government hospital for the treatment of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) patients and cover the treatment in Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY).
In the State cabinet meeting on Tuesday (January 28, 2025), Mr. Fadnavis took cognisance of the spread of the disease in the affected areas of Pune. According to the Chief Minister’s office, the Public Health Department made a presentation on Guillain Barre Syndrome on behalf of the Public Health Department in the meeting.
“The treatment is underway but government hospitals should make the needful arrangements to take care of the patients diagnosed with the GBS. Currently, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana covers the treatment of the disease, however, in case any further procedures are to be done, the Public Health Department must take care of it,” Mr. Fadnavis stated.
Also Read:A question of hygiene: On the Guillain-Barré Syndrome outbreak in Pune
Of a total of 111 suspected cases have been reported till Tuesday (January 28, 2025), one death has been recorded. Of these 31 are diagnosed as confirmed GBS cases, 20 patients are from Pune MC, 66 are from newly added villages in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) area, 12 are from Pimpri Chinchwad MC, five are from Pune Rural and 8 are from other districts. 77 are men, 34 are women, and 13 out of these are currently on ventilators.
Primarily in areas such as Sinhagad Road, Khadakwasla, Kirkatwadi, Nandedgaon, and Nanded City. The PMC has claimed the possible reason behind the GBS cases, is water contamination.
A State-level rapid response team visited the affected area immediately. In house-to-house surveillance activities, 23,035 houses in Pune MC, 5,896 houses in PCMC, and 9,121 houses in Pune rural areas have been surveyed (total 45,052).
A total of 76 blood samples have been sent to the National Institute for Virology (NIV). All samples have tested negative for Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya. 57 stool samples were sent to the NIV, Pune. All were tested for enteric virus panel, 17 samples were positive for Norovirus, and five stool samples were positive for Campylobacter. Around 110 water samples from different parts of the city have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory, and samples from eight water sources found contaminated.
On Monday (January 27, 2025), State Health Minister Prakash Abitkar also revealed that the contamination was most probably in the dam and asked administration officials to take necessary measures to avoid spread. The PMC deployed water tankers in affected housing societies.
Mr. Fadnavis also asked the Health Department to make proper arrangements for drinking water during the Cricket match in Pune on January 31.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also mentioned of designated government hospital, where patients are supposed to be treated, including Kamala Nehru Hospital of Pune Municipal Corporation and Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.
Meanwhile, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation as a precautionary measure has arranged 50 ICU beds with ventilators for children and adults in major hospitals and provision of more 50 beds. The BMC also asked the government and private hospitals to report if any GBS cases were identified.
