GORAKHPUR is known as capital of eastern Uttar Pradesh, which was rightly chosen as the venue of the convention on Encephalitis, an epidemic affecting large parts of Eastern UP. Encephalitis was first detected in the year 1978 in Gorakhpur. Since then, around 15 thousand children have died of this dreaded disease. It is estimated that 90% of the casualties have affected poorer sections of society. During the year 2012, 1256 cases of Encephalitis were detected out of which 557 cases resulted into death.

In a letter addressed to Ghulam Nabi Azad, union minister for health & family welfare on February 27, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Brinda Karat brought to his notice the ill conceived move by the Medical Council of India to bring an amendment to the Ethics regulation for doctors for exempting "the Professional Association of Doctors" from the jurisdiction of the Medical Council of India.