No cause for alarm, only 15% of GBS patients require immunoglobulin injections, says Minister

301 Gullain Barre Syndrome cases reported in Andhra Pradesh, with government monitoring and adequate treatment available.

A total of 301 Gullain Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases were reported in 11 out of 17 government general hospitals in the State in the year 2024, said Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Y. Satya Kumar Yadav.

At a review meeting on the GBS cases in the State, at the Secretariat here on Monday (February 17), Mr. Satya Kumar Yadav said the government is keeping a tab on the number of cases being reported every month. The department has begun analysing the data about GBS cases reported in the past and is trying to find out the reasons behind emergence of these cases following instructions from Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who reviewed the situation on Monday, he said.

The Minister reiterated that there was no cause for alarm and that only 15% of the people with GBS require administration of Immunoglobulin injections. Patients, depending on their weight, might require four or five injections per day and the State has adequate number of injections, the Minister said.

Out of 301 cases in 2024, most of them were reported from the Guntur GGH (115), followed by Kakinada and Vijayawada GGHs (45), Kurnool (33), Visakhapatnam (28) and Nellore (21). The GGHs in Paderu, Rajamahendravaram, Eluru, Machilipatnam, Ongole, Nandyal and Anantapur did not report any cases last year, the Minister said, adding that GGH Guntur sees more cases since many people from nearby districts are referred to this hospital due to its renowned Neurology department. In January 2025 alone, 43 cases were reported, the Minister said.

Speaking to the media later, Special Chief Secretary Health M. T. Krishna Babu said the State currently has 1,200 Immunoglobulin injections and 6,000 more would be procured soon. He said the department has been on the alert since the time Pune began reporting a surge in GBS cases.

People experiencing tingling, numbness in lower limbs, difficulty in walking should see a doctor, he advised.