Encephalitis: Search for cheaper vaccine

It has taken more than 200 deaths and 700 cases in Gorakhpur for the government to wake up to the need for a cheaper vaccination for Japanes...

It has taken more than 200 deaths and 700 cases in Gorakhpur for the government to wake up to the need for a cheaper vaccination for Japanese encephalitis — which kills hundreds in endemic areas of Uttar Pradesh every year.

A committee set up by the Health Ministry is examining the tissue culture vaccine produced by China and Korea as a viable alternative to the expensive mouse brain vaccine produced by the Central Research Institute (CRI) at Kasauli. ‘‘The Drug Controller General of India is taking a view on the matter. The permission can be granted only after analysing the safety and efficacy data supplied by the countries,’’ said Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, union minister of health and family welfare.

‘‘The vaccine has been in the market for three years. Permission from the Drug controller is essential,’’ he added.

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According to the minister, the CRI too has been asked to increase production from five lakh units to at least 10 lakhs for the next season. Three doses are required for primary immunisation. Two are administered within a gap of seven to 14 days. The third dose is given any time after one month and before one year of the second dose. A booster is required after three years.

‘‘We don’t want to say the areas are endemic and then forget about them. We will make sure the outbreak doesn’t happen next year,’’ the minister added.

According to the website of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, the annual incidence of the disease is 1765 to 3428 cases. It kills 466 to 707 persons each year. Two years ago, about 1,000 children had died of Japanese Encephalitis. In 10 years, (1994 to 2004), the disease has spread to 15 states and union territories.

No respite in Gorakhpur

GORAKHPUR: Toll due to Japanese Encephliitis has touched 228 in Gorakhpur. As many as 67 patients were admitted to government-run BRD Medical College Hospital in the last 24 hours. Twelve persons died during the period.

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Dr Sudan Singh, the principal of the college said the figure did not include deaths in private nursing homes and remote areas. Hospital sources said deaths had also been reported from rural areas of Kushinagar, Maharajganj and Siddharthnagar districts.

A UNICEF team, headed by project director Dr D D Diwan visited the hospital to discuss a system for early detection of cases. PTI

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