The creation of additional 100 beds in the intensive care unit of the paediatric ward of Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) has been completely ignored.

On a visit to the facility on June 21 last year, then Union health minister Harsh Vardhan had announced that 100 more beds would be added to the facility. But nothing of that sort has been done till date though the admission of children afflicting with acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) is gradually rising this year.

Moreover, the erstwhile health minister had also promised that 10 more beds would be created in government hospitals in adjoining AES-hit districts of Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Motihari and Samastipur. Help to establish a virology laboratory in all five medical colleges of the state was another of his promises.

Neither the virology lab was set up nor the requisite infrastructure needed to create the additional beds at SKMCH to tackle the cases, saw the light of day.

SKMCH deputy superintendent Dr Sunil Kumar Shahi said: "We had pinned high hopes on the health minister's announcement. Even engineers from Bihar State Medical Services Infrastructure Corporation Limited (BSMSICL) came to SKMCH in September 2014 to select the site for creation of 100 beds of paediatric intensive care unit (Picu). But nothing progressed in the matter after that," said Shahi.

On the other hand, in comparison to the previous year, the threat of AES has remained low till date but fresh patients are gradually getting admitted to SKMCH.

"The health department has facilitated healthcare to treat ailing children at SKMCH effectively. A total of 24 beds have so far been created for the Picu to cure the children suffering from encephalitis," said the deputy superintendent.

The chief medical officer, Gyan Bhushan, said: "So far, 20 confirmed cases of AES have been to SKMCH, mostly from Motihari, Sitamarhi, Sheohar and Muzaffarpur. Seven of those children have died. Six AES-positive children have been cured and discharged."

Principal health secretary Brajesh Mehrotra said seven districts of north Bihar, including Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Samastipur, Motihari, Vaishali and West Champaran, are affected with the encephalitis virus. There are 37 high-risk blocks in the aforesaid districts and the health authorities are leaving no stone unturned in tackling the fresh cases of AES effectively.