Thiruvananthapuram: In a major relief for the health care system in the state that is fighting the deadly brain fever, Health Minister Veena George received the first batch of miltefosine used for treating the deadly amoebic meningoencephalitis arranged by VPS Lakeshore Chairman, Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil that arrived from Germany.
Recently doctors could save a child, the first such instance in India, from the deadly disease. The increase in the supply of the drug is good news as more cases of brain-eating amoebic disease are in the state.
Medicines worth Rs 3.15 lakh has arrived in the first batch that arrived from Germany.
“Recently there has been a spurt in the number of cases reported in the Kerala. Recently when such cases have been reported in the state and we have been using a different variety of medicine. We are working in coordination with the centre. We don’t have the facility of importing it directly. We also had a rare instance where a kid affected with Amoebic Meningitis being cured. Now the VPS group has taken this initiative of getting the medicine as new cases have been reported”, said Health Minister Veena George at the secretariat.
Miltefosine (1-O-hexadecylphosphocholine), an alkylphosphocholine and a membrane-active synthetic ether-lipid analogue, which was originally developed for cancer management. Despite being registered in India in 2002 for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis, access to miltefosine has been inconsistent.
Three children died of the disease since May this year. The disease is caused due to Naegleria fowleri, a type of amoeba. Free-living amoebas are generally found in stagnant water bodies. Bacteria from the amoeba family are transmitted through the fine pores in the nose while bathing. It enters the human body, severely infects the brain and causes encephalitis.
Meanwhile, the number of fever cases has been increasing in the state during the last week of July. However, in a major relief all the Nipah samples that were sent to the Pune Virology Institute were tested negative.
Three children died of the disease since May this year. The disease is caused due to Naegleria fowleri, a type of amoeba. Free-living amoebas are generally found in stagnant water bodies. Bacteria from the amoeba family are transmitted through the fine pores in the nose while bathing. It enters the human body, severely infects the brain and causes encephalitis. Kerala States News India: Top News India, States News, States News Headlines, Online State News India, State Politics news
