Japanese Encephalitis (JE) claims 94 lives in Assam in 10 months

GUWAHATI: Assam has topped the list at the national level, but for a wrong reason – both in the number of Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases and the toll it has taken. Till October 26 this year, the vector-borne disease has claimed as many as 94 lives in the State.

What has led to such a precarious situation in the State? Vaccination is the only cure for JE. However, the ground reality in the State remains that there has been no adult vaccination for JE in as many as eight of its districts. The districts are Baksa, Chirang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Hailakandi, Karimganj, Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong. The situation is no better either in nine other districts which registered below 70 per cent JE vaccination. The vaccination drive has so far covered 63 per cent in Tinsukia, 68 per cent in Sivasagar, 66 per cent in Kamrup, 46 per cent in Nagaon, 65 per cent in Barpeta, 53 per cent Udalguri, 48 per cent in Nalbari, 50 per cent in Bongaigaon and 48 per cent in Morigaon districts.

Adult vaccination for JE has been being carried out in the State since 2012-13. However, according to sources in the National Vector-borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Assam, the State can never attained 100 per cent JE vaccination in any of its districts.

The sources have further said that for the past two years, no central expert/observer has visited the State to take stock of the situation of vector-borne diseases here so far. According to the sources, JE has been detected among a few people who have been given vaccination.

Till October 26 this year as many as 488 cases have been detected in the State, and 94 of the patients have lost their lives. The highest toll by JE in the State is in Dibrugarh and Sonitpur districts – registering 15 deaths each. Next to them is Kamrup with a death toll of 10.

NVBDCP, Assam is going to send proposals to the Centre for vaccination drive in the nine districts with below 70 per cent vaccination.