Muzaffarpur, May 29: The district health department will set up nutritional rehabilitation centres at primary health centres with Unicef’s help to check malnourishment — a common symptom of acute encephalitis syndrome among children.

Encephalitis expert Jacob John from Vellore’s Christian Medical College and Hospital, who was here earlier this month, had said malnutrition could be a potent cause for the outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES). Most children succumbing to AES were found to be suffering from malnutrition.

John has been entrusted with the task of investigating the virus behind the outbreak of AES in Muzaffarpur and nearby areas.

District magistrate (DM) Anupam Kumar told The Telegraph that the work by a research team from National Disease Control Board, New Delhi, led by Jacob John, was in a critical stage and some vital clues had been found.

The DM said he had sought Unicef’s support to set up the nutritional rehabilitation centres. He said health officials, child development project officers (CDPOs) and Anganwadi teams would be involved in the work. He held detailed discussions with the district chief medical officer, Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital superintendent G.K. Thakur and other paediatricians in this regard.

The DM has instructed CDPOs to provide dietary intake to malnourished children through Anganwadi centres run under the Integrated Child Development Scheme.

Details of children showing signs of malnutrition are being collected at the sector-level for nutritional rehabilitation.