PM concerned about encephalitis menace in eastern UP: Nadda

Gorakhpur, Oct 1: Health Minister J P Nadda today asked the Uttar Pradesh government to work towards improving the health of the people, stressing there will be no dearth of funds for it and said the Prime Minister is concerned about the menace of encephalitis in Purvanchal region.

"You start spending...there will not be any dearth of funds in the works for the welfare of the people," he said.

The Union minister was speaking at an event here to lay the foundation stone of eight super speciality blocks worth Rs 150 crore at the BRD Medical College.

He said with these blocks, patients will get more facilities in the area which has continuously been facing the menace of encephalitis.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is concerned about the situation in Purvanchal and keeps asking for reports about encephalitis which is an annual occurrence in the region," Nadda added.

Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel, who was also present at the event, said with the joint efforts of the central and state governments encephalitis can be effectively checked.

She assured that the Centre will continue to give its support to the state in this direction.

Local BJP MP Yogi Adityanath said a large number of people have succumbed to the disease in the region and a request was made to the previous UPA government to take steps for checking it but they did not pay heed.

Now the Prime Minister is committed to wiping out the disease, Yogi said.

Earlier Nadda met encephalitis patients at the medical college.

PTI