Health dept saved several lives from amoebic encephalitis: Kerala govt

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 12 (PTI) Amidst criticism from the opposition Congress over the spread of amoebic encephalitis in different parts of Kerala, the state government on Friday said that the health department has saved several lives from the deadly brain infection due to early detection of the disease.

State Health Minister Veena George, in a statement, said that Kerala has been able to detect cases of amoebic encephalitis very early, making it possible to save many people infected by the disease which has a high mortality rate.

The state has also been able to reduce the number of deaths due to the rare brain infection, caused by a free-living amoeba found in contaminated waters, as it has prepared a protocol for carrying out tests and treatment of those infected by the disease, she said.

Her statement comes in the wake of Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan alleging that the state health department had totally failed to study the reasons behind the spread of amoebic encephalitis in different parts of the state.

He said that though 16 people had already succumbed to the disease, the health department was not able to provide adequate warning to the people.

"The department itself is on a ventilator," he alleged while speaking to reporters at Kochi earlier in the day.

Caused by free-living amoeba, amoebic encephalitis is a deadly infection that is typically contracted from freshwater sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams In her statement, George also announced that a special wellness clinic for women will be held at all of the over 5,000 public health centres (PHCs) in the state on all Tuesdays.

She said that the new clinics will help in diagnosing anemia, diabetes, hypertension, cancer screening and other health problems and urged women to go to the wellness clinics for checkups.

The minister also asked health workers to encourage women to attend these clinics which have been launched following the 'Viva Kerala' campaign -- a government public health initiative aimed at combating anemia.

In her statement, the minister claimed that the health sector in the state has accomplished many achievements, including reduction of the infant mortality rate to a level that was less than that in the United States.

George also pointed out that the state has also started a special campaign for cancer screening and more than 18 lakh people have been screened as part of it. PTI HMP HMP ROH