WHO takes action in GBS outbreak in India

The World Health Organization (WHO) is providing technical support to health authorities in Maharashtra to respond to suspected and confirmed cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare, autoimmune, non-contagious disease, in Pune. Chetan Khade, a WHO medical surveillance officer, said WHO teams are training health workers to conduct active case finding in the community to diagnose and treat affected patients. Officials are working with the state government of Maharashtra, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), and district authorities to assess the situation. As of 9 January, 158 cases of GBS have been reported, of which 38 have been discharged and 20 are on ventilators. Health officials have stated that the administration will monitor discharged patients for a period of 21 days. The PMC is promoting public health, food and hand hygiene, and clean water interventions to reduce the spread of the disease. There is no known cure for GBS. However, effective treatments are available to speed recovery and reduce symptoms in affected patients. State authorities have been instructed to conduct a review of all reported deaths in Maharashtra. The issue of public awareness of the disease and availability of medicines was discussed during a meeting between the Maharashtra Health Minister and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda.