Most AES victims were from poor families: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar broke his silence on Monday over the deaths of more than 150 children due acute encephalitis syndrome in Muzaffarpur district, saying an integrated approach would be adopted for the upliftment of the poor who suffered the most.

Kumar expressed profound grief over the matter that drew rage against his government from across the country and added that not much was known about the disease.

"It's a very very unfortunate incident. We just cannot express our regret (towards the incident)," he said in the assembly. "It's a very serious issue.... It was quite evident after meeting the attendants of patients and victims during my visit to the SKMCH that most of the victims belonged to poor families."

Kumar, who had visited the Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur when the AES death counts had mounted last month, had faced protests and avoided the volley of questions from the media. The outbreak has claimed 154 lives so far.

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