Imphal, October 22 2010: Health Minister Ph Parijat has announced a mass vaccination programme to prevent outbreak/infection of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) .

Speaking to newspersons at the BT Road office of Directorate of Family Welfare Services today, the Minister informed that under a specific programme of Government of india aimed at checking fatalities caused by vector borne viral diseases five districts of Manipur, including one hill district, have been enlisted to carry out the vaccination campaign.

First phase of the vaccination campaign in the state will different cover 18 blocks of the five districts where children in the age group of 1-15 years would be administered anti-JE vaccination known in the medical circle as SA 14-14-2 .

The vaccine developed in China has reportedly been put through various tests after which Government of India decided to carry out the vaccination campaign on a massive scale.

It is informed that only one vaccination is required in a lifetime.

stating that out of a total of 116 persons who reported at various health centres with acute encephalitis syndrome in between June and August months this year 45 cases have been confirmed as JE infection, the Minister put the casualty figure at 16 .

Explaining that no individual is safe from JE infection if relevant preventive measures are not followed, Parijat also maintained that children between 1-15 years are most vulnerable.

projecting number of beneficiaries during the first vaccination campaign at 572196 children for which 2053 vaccination sites/locations would be established, the Minister said the campaign would involve services of 217 medical officers, 674 ANM, 2713 ASHA volunteers, 3646 Angangwadi workers, 1815 teachers, 93 supervisors and 344 staff nurses.

Moreover, one doctor assisted by two nurses and one each anganwadi and ASHA workers would carry out vaccination programme at every designated vaccination centre.

Elaborating that prior to administering the vaccine the medical team will have to ensure that the child has no fever, is free from HIV/AIDS or TB infection and non-allergic to medication, the Minister said Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Chandel districts would be covered in the first phase.

It is informed that the five districts of Manipur is out of a countrywide total of 109 districts where the vaccination programme would be carried out within this year.

asserting that Central Government authorities would be intimated to include the remaining districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Churachandpur in the vaccination programme at the earliest, the health Minister said migratory birds belonging to the crane family, pig, plants/bushes and stagnant water are some major factors for spread of JE.

One of the basic preventive measure suggested by the Minister is to prevent mosquito bites by either covering the body parts or using mosquito repellents.

He confided that inspite of the mass vaccination programme actually scheduled to begin in the first week of the current month, the plan had to be deferred as medicines could not be brought owing to various factors.

Appealing to the parents to ensure their wards are vaccinated at health centres/camps to be set up for the purpose, Parijat also told the newspersons that all relevant precautionary measures have been put in place to prevent outbreak of diseases as a consequence of the recent flooding at various parts of the State.

Responding to a specific poser, he added that apart from strong instruction to ensure clean drinking water is provided to the public, medicines are available in adequate stock while medical personnel have been advised to remain alert.

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