Encephalitis cases double this year as govt botches up

As the year ends,over 3,030 children have been affected with encephalitis in eastern Uttar Pradesh,while over 560 children have succumbed to the disease.

Last year,while the total number of encephalitis cases was around 2,700,450 people had died.

The experts are,however,primarily concerned about the fact that of the total Acute Encephalitis Cases this year,302 are confirmed JE positive cases as compared to just 155 last year,which means that the JE positive cases have doubled this year. This is despite the fact that JE is a type of encephalitis,which can be prevented with vaccination.

In 2008,around 5 lakh doses of JE vaccine had gone waste as the state government had received stage three heat exposed vaccine and had refused to use the same.

Since the Central government imports the JE vaccine from China,the alternative supply could not be made available for that year. No lesson was,however,learnt and in 2009 another stock of 16 lakh doses of JE vaccine received by the state government was found to be in stage two of heat exposure. The state government again refused to use this vaccine and is still waiting for a fresh stock.

The state government is unlikely to receive the stocks before May next year as the Central government,which is supposed to place their order six months before the needed supply,has not yet sent their demand to the Chinese manufacturer.

During a recent visit,the delegation from the Chinese manufacturer made it clear to the Central government that they need atleast six months to manufacture and send the stock after the demand is placed.

Dr R N Singh,a private practitioner,who has been fighting for Encephalitis Eradication in eastern Uttar Pradesh,said: “When the MPs from this region recently raised this issue in the Parliament,the Union Minister of State for Health told that the Central government would consider setting up a separate research group under ICMR to study the encephalitis menace in eastern Uttar Pradesh.”

“The number of cases and deaths might increase next year due to the two-year gap in vaccination in the region,” he said.

“The JE vaccine has been included in the routine immunisation but it is only on paper,as there is no vaccine available for immunisation. In such scenario,how can the Central government wait for another two to three years to set up a special group and then wait for their results?” he added.

Pritu Dhalaria,in-charge of immunisation for PATH,the organisation which is working for JE eradication along with the Central government said: “It is clear that the increase in number of cases is due to the large number of unvaccinated cases.”

“Among the 302 JE cases,which have been reported this year,there is hardly anyone who has been vaccinated. This makes it clear that if the children are vaccinated properly we can control the cases and deaths to a great extent,” added Dhalaria.

According to state Health department officials,the rise in the number of encephalitis cases is partially because of “the erratic vaccine supply from the Central government.”