STAFF REPORTER / NEW DELHI

Bihar government today said that it would bear all the cost incurred in treatment of encephalitis affected children. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today took decision in this regard in a high level review meeting in Patna with officials.

State government will reimburse to affected families all the treatment expenditure incurred in private hospitals. Several measures have been decided in the meeting to tackle the menace of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome ( AES) including free carriage of Encephalitis affected children by ambulances to the hospitals.

Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar said the state government would also bear the transportation charges of Encephalitis affected children by private vehicles and ambulances. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said he will ask for central assistance to union finance ministry to tackle situation due to outrbreak of encephalitis.

He said it will be raised before finance minister in pre-budget meeting of state finance ministers on 21st of this month. He said request would be submitted for separate budget allocation for AES management and treatment.

Meanwhile death toll has reached to 128 in the state due to encephalitis. 103 deaths have been reported in Muzaffarpur. Altogether 25 deaths have been reported in Vaishali and East Champaran district in this month. 12 districts are affected by this disease.