As availability of safe and potable water is becoming a far-fetched dream for many, deadly mosquito-borne Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is rearing its ugly head once again, taking toll on a higher number of people. After reporting a decline in 2012 against the previous year, cases of JE and deaths resulting from the disease are on the rise with 189 people already succumbing till November 2013.
Assam has reported highest number of toll with as many as 129 people dying due to the disease. The country witnessed 745 JE cases which have spurted to 189 up to November 2013, as per the latest data available from the Union Health Ministry. Sources said that this could be on the higher side given that many cases go unreported.
The disease caused by the virus affects the central nervous system and can cause severe complications and even death, is showing a rising trend.
Assam is followed by Uttar Pradesh which has reported 45 deaths and 269 cases up to November 2013 against 140 deaths and 745 cases in 2012-2013. The other states are — Tamil Nadu (22 cases), Jharkhand (82) and West Bengal (76), according to the data.
A senior official said that a national programme for prevention and control of JE with an outlay of more than Rs4,000 crore being implemented in 60 priority districts in five endemic states for a period of five years from 2012-13 to 2016-17 by the Ministries, including Health and Rural Development.
These States are Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The States have also been given flexibility to utilise over four percent of the budget under their Water and Sanitation Department.
In fact, it’s not only JE, the health burden of poor water quality is enormous. It is estimated that around 37.7 million Indians are affected by waterborne diseases annually, 1.5 million children are estimated to die of diarrhoea alone and 73 million working days are lost due to waterborne disease each year.
Though there is no national vaccination program, the Health Ministry has now drawn up a plan in which children 1-12 years of age will be immunised. In Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, immunisation programs are already running and it is hoped that JE incidence might stabilise in those regions, said the official.