Ashwini Kumar Choubey asks doctors to deliver

GAYA: In a pep talk to the government doctors, state health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Sunday asked them to deliver results not 'doctored figures'. Choubey was inaugurating a state-level workshop on Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bodh Gaya.
Virtually trashing statistics provided by Gaya health officials claiming 97% immunization against Japanese Encephalitis (JE), the health minister said the figure is too good to be believed.Recalling similar claims in the past, he said a couple of years back, 90% immunization was claimed in the district. But subsequently, AES struck with a vengeance in the district calling the statistical bluff.
Choubey said the figures provided by the health officials would be randomly cross checked and those found guilty of 'fudging figures' would be punished. The feedback received by him from different sources including grassroot activists was at variance with the official claims, the minister revealed.
Coming down heavily on Dr Sita Ram, superintendent ANMMCH, Gaya, Choubey said on three different occasions in the past, he had directed the superintendent to get filth and garbage removed from the hospital premises and prevent the entry of pigs in the hospital but his orders have not been complied with. "Instead of removing the garbage, a curtain has been placed to hide the garbage dump from public view," said Choubey.
Delivereing the 'final' warning to the ANMMCH superintendent, Choubey said the NMCH superintendent would be removed if he fails to ensure removal of garbage from the hospital premises. He also directed the ANMMCH officials to effectively address the issue of water shortage in the hospital. It was a matter of shame if water has to be brought from outside by the attendants to administer medicine to the patients, said the minister. He also directed the officials to get the x-ray machines, ultrasound machines and other diagnostic tools repaired within a week.
Speaking on the occasion, principal secretary, health, Vyasji, while seeking public cooperation in the campaign against encephalitis, said the hospitals alone are not in a position to fight the menace. The community will have to join hands to eradicate Encephalitis.
Detailing the steps taken for combating AES, Vyasji said a task force was created following the massive Encephalitis outbreak last year and the task force has come out with a 'Standard Operative Procedure (SOP)' to fight it. As the virus of Japanese Encephalitis was identifiable, it is easier to combat it. But in case of other forms of Encephalitis commonly known as Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, the virus was not identifiable. But the SOP developed by the members of the task force is designed to combat AES, he said.