‘Delayed treatment pushes up AES’

LUCKNOW: A large number of AES cases go from bad to worse due to poor communication and delayed treatment, finds a rapid assessment of patients in east UP.

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has been troubling thousands of children every year. AES is characterised by an acute onset of fever and clinical neurological manifestation that includes mental confusion, disorientation, delirium or coma. AES has largely been attributed to viruses and bacteria, fungus, parasites, spirochetes, chemical and toxins.

The assessment finds fever cases are not reported at government health facilities on time while quacks play an instrumental role in fostering AES by delaying proper treatment.

“The assessment was done with field visit to blocks in Basti district to build a communication strategy. The key strategies include interpersonal communication for early referral, community mobilisation for support to early referral, treatment and prevention and raising awareness through media,” said Bhai Shelly, Communication for Development specialist, UNICEF, UP. Experts from World Health Organisation (WHO), PATH ( a global health organisation) and UNICEF conducted a workshop to discuss these communication strategies. As per the experts, at the onset of fever one should take early action. The assessment suggested social mobilisation by ASHA s.