Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Centre Sends High-Level Team To Maharashtra To Aid In Management
The team's mission is to assist in managing the situation and implement public health interventions to curb the spread of the condition.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has dispatched a high-level multi-disciplinary team to support the Maharashtra authorities in response to the rising number of suspected and confirmed cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Pune.
The team's mission is to assist in managing the situation and implement public health interventions to curb the spread of the condition, according to an official release.
The central team, consisting of seven experts, includes professionals from the National Centre for Disease Control in Delhi; National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru; Regional Office of Health & Family Welfare and the National Institute for Virology in Pune.
Prior to the team's deployment, three experts from the NIV had already been collaborating with local authorities to monitor and address the situation. This expanded team is now expected to support the state's response to the surge in cases, it said.
The team will closely engage with the Health Department, assess the on-ground situation and provide guidance on necessary public health measures.
What's GBS?
Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterised by the immune system's abnormal response to the peripheral nerves. In GBS, the immune system mistakenly attacks the healthy nerve cells. This leads to inflammation and damage to the nerves resulting in muscle weakness, numbness, and in worse cases, paralysis.
The exact cause of the GBS is not known, but it often occurs after an infection. It is said to be most commonly a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection and is believed that the body's immune response to the infection triggers an autoimmune reaction that damages the nerves.
This syndrome can be a medical emergency as the paralysis can affect the muscles involved in breathing, leading to respiratory failure. Therefore, individuals suspected of having GBS often require immediate medical attention and hospitalisation.
