New Delhi: The Government has formed a Group
of Ministers (GoM) to deal with the danger posed by Japanese
Encephalitis and Acute Encephalitis syndrome (AES) which have
claimed over 400 child deaths in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Apart from Union Health and Family Welfare Minister
Ghulam Nabi Azad, the GoM includes Urban Development Minister
Kamal Nath, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul
Wasnik and Minister of Rural Development and Drinking Water
Sanitation Jairam Ramesh.
Minister of state (Independent Charge) of Women and Child
Development Krishna Tirath is the only non cabinet minister
who is the part of the GoM.
The GoM will evolve and suggest a multi-pronged strategy
to deal with Japanese Encephalitis and AES, officials said.
"The GoM would work on preventive, case management, and
rehabilitation (rehabilitation of disabled children, schools
for physically and mentally challenged ) measures for
consideration and approval of the Cabinet," the terms of
reference for the GoM state.
Azad, who had visited Gorakhpur and other areas of Eastern
Uttar Pradesh had suggested the formation of a GoM for a multi
pronged strategy to curb the onslaught of these killer
diseases.
PTI