PATNA: Union minister of state for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, who is also MP of Ujiyarpur in Samastipur, has sanctioned a sum of Rs 25 lakh from his MP Local Area Development Fund (MPLADF) for the construction of a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Samastipur Sadar hospital.
Rai sanctioned this amount soon after he was apprised of outbreak of diseases akin to the symptoms of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Samastipur also.
In a letter to the district magistrate of Samastipur, Chandrashekhar Singh, the Minister asked to set up the PICU at the hospital on top priority in order to ensure speedy treatment to children coming with symptoms akin to AES or other diseases.
In Bihar, over 150 children have died due to suspected symptoms of AES.
Sources said the PICU will be equipped with all latest life support systems and other medical facilities.