Maharashtra CM Fadnavis orders special arrangements for treating GBS patients

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday directed officials to make special arrangements for treating Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) patients.

Fadnavis reviewed the preparedness to tackle patients infected with GBS, an immunological nerve disorder, in the state Cabinet meeting.

The state Public Health Department said Pune so far reported 111 GBS cases of which 80 are in the radius of 5 km.

The Health Department said 35,000 households and 94,000 people are (medically) inspected and the assistance of the National Institute of Immunology is being taken.

A suspected GBS patient had died in Solapur district, making him possibly the first GBS-linked fatality in Maharashtra.

The 40-year-old native of Solapur is suspected to have contracted the infection during his visit to Pune.

Fadnavis said the Kamla Nehru Hospital in Pune and Yeshwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital in Pimpri-Chinchwad are designated as two dedicated hospitals for GBS patients to ensure them proper treatment.

He appealed to people to boil water before drinking as GBS occurs mainly due to contaminated water or uncooked meat.

The CM said treatment for GBS patients will be covered under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana.

State Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said GBS is a rare disease but it is not contagious. The disease occurs due to low immunity, he added.

GBS is a condition in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves. It can cause sudden numbness and muscle weakness. Its symptoms include severe weakness in the limbs, loose motions etc.

Bacterial and viral infections generally lead to GBS as they weaken the immunity of patients. Doctors feel that contaminated water triggered the latest GBS cases in Pune.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai civic body said it is prepared to handle GBS situation if the need arises and kept 50 ICU beds with ventilators ready at major hospitals even though no case is reported in Mumbai.

As a precautionary measure, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has kept 50 ICU beds with ventilators ready for children and senior citizen at major civic hospitals, officials said, adding that 100 more ICU beds will be arranged in the civic-run Seven Hills Hospital if GBS cases go up.

"To date, no GBS case has been found in Mumbai and no growth has taken place. Hospitals and medical colleges are prepared with required medicines, equipment, and experts," a BMC senior officer said.

The state government has already directed public as well as private organisations to contact the epidermic cell if new patients infected with GBS are found.

According to BMC officials, patients with GBS are always found in small numbers in Mumbai.

They appealed to citizens to approach the nearest civic hospitals if infected by GBS and not to panic.