Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has instructed the Public Health Department to expand coverage of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) treatment under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) amid rising cases in Pune. In a state cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister reviewed the situation, focusing on water contamination as a likely cause and urging hospitals to improve facilities for GBS patients.
Current Situation
- Total cases: 111 suspected, of which 31 are confirmed GBS cases.
- Distribution:
- 20 cases from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) area.
- 66 from newly added PMC villages.
- 12 from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
- 5 from Pune Rural.
- 8 from other districts.
- Severity:
- 13 patients are on ventilators.
- 1 fatality reported.
Suspected Causes
- The PMC attributes water contamination in areas like Sinhagad Road, Khadakwasla, Kirkatwadi, Nandedgaon, and Nanded City.
- Testing updates:
- 76 blood samples tested negative for Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya.
- 57 stool samples revealed 17 cases of Norovirus and 5 cases of Campylobacter.
- 110 water samples from eight sources found contaminated.
Government Response
- Treatment Measures:
- Designated hospitals for GBS care include Kamala Nehru Hospital (PMC) and Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (PCMC).
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has arranged 50 ICU beds with ventilators for precautionary measures and plans to add 50 more.
- Health Monitoring:
- Rapid response teams conducted house-to-house surveillance in affected areas, surveying over 45,000 households.
- Union Health Ministry has deployed a central team to assess the outbreak and provide technical support.
- Water Safety Measures:
- Water tankers deployed in affected housing societies by PMC.
- Public Health Department ordered thorough chemical and biological water testing.
- The CM directed authorities to ensure safe drinking water during the January 31 cricket match in Pune.
Officials’ Statements
- CM Devendra Fadnavis: “Government hospitals should make necessary arrangements to care for GBS patients. The Public Health Department must ensure all further procedures are handled under MJPJAY.”
- Deputy CM Ajit Pawar: Emphasized treatment at designated government hospitals and preparation of resources to tackle potential cases.
- State Health Minister Prakash Abitkar: Stressed the contamination at the dam as a likely source and called for swift action to prevent further spread.
Precautionary Actions
The government has asked private and public hospitals across Maharashtra to report GBS cases immediately and ensure preparedness for any surge in patients.
The ongoing investigation by local and central teams into the outbreak’s cause is critical to formulating a long-term response and ensuring patient safety.
