Telangana lacks plan amid rising Guillain Barre Syndrome cases

State government is yet to form a cohesive plan to treat patients, procure life-saving immunotherapy drugs and take up and build capacity of healthcare workers in ICUs and physiotherapy

Hyderabad: While cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) continue to rise across Maharashtra, the Telangana State government is yet to form a cohesive plan to treat patients, procure life-saving immunotherapy drugs and take up and build the capacity of healthcare workers in ICUs and physiotherapy.

Treating GBS patients is prohibitively expensive, costing upwards of Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. About 25 percent of GBS patients need ventilator support, while nearly all require long-term physiotherapy support that could last for at least months.

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Since treatment GBS involves extensive rehabilitation, ventilator support and potentially physical disability, patients without private medical insurance will struggle with out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Currently, there is no indication that the wave of GBS cases reported in Pune will also occur in Hyderabad and elsewhere in Telangana State.

“Instead of waiting for GB cases to rise, it’s better to be proactive and prepare for at least 50 beds at Gandhi Hospital or any other hospital for exclusive treatment of GB syndrome patients. During the Covid pandemic, the BRS government procured ventilators, which can be utilised for GB syndrome patients,” senior neurologists familiar with the issue said.

There is also a need to train caregivers, who are exclusively involved in bed-side assistance of patients. “At least 25 percent of GB patients need ventilator support. Such patients also may have special needs. Moreover, they also need a lot of physiotherapy support. So, there is definitely a need to have set-protocols and training for at least a week on handling GB syndrome positive cases,” senior neurologists on condition of anonymity said.

GB syndrome patients must be administered with Intravenous Globulins (IVIG). The total dose is 2 grams per kilogram of body weight, which is split into 5 days, and given as infusion,” he advises. The IVIG injections are sold in two dose forms including 5 grams and 10 grams vials with cost of each vial ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 approximately.

“The total cost of IVIG would be around Rs 2,50,000 to Rs 3,00,000 for one single patient. The State government must take measures to procure these drugs at the earliest,” doctors advised.