Even as Bihar continues to struggle with the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) since the beginning of June this year, yet another vector-borne disease threat looms over Assam in the form of Japanese Encephalitis (JE).
To ensure that the situation does not turn into crisis as has happened in Bihar where over 120 children have died so far due to AES, an alarmed Union Health Ministry on Sunday rushed a Central team to review the situation and ensure all preventive measure in the Northeastern State.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan directed the Ministry to extend all support and assistance to the State Government. “I am closely monitoring the situation. The Health Ministry is coordinating with the Assam Government for prevention and management of JE to ensure that the cases don’t rise in the State,” Vardhan said.
He said the Health Ministry is providing all logistical and technical support to the State Government in terms of surveillance and diagnostic kits to strengthen their efforts in addressing JE.
Noting that community participation and empowerment are the most crucial in JE prevention, Vardhan urged all the stakeholders to start rigorous awareness campaigns regarding the preventive steps to be taken by the communities.
The central team is headed by Additional Secretary Sanjeeva Kumar and he is accompanied by the senior officers from the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, New Delhi, an official statement said.
As per the directions of the Health Minister, the team will reach the State by Sunday evening to review the situation. All 27 districts of Assam were covered under the JE vaccination campaign for those aged between one to 15 years followed by routine immunisation, it said. Ten high endemic districts of Assam (Shivsagar Barpeta, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Darrang, Udalguri, Bongaigaon, Cachar, Morigaon, Nalbari) have been included under the multipronged strategy for prevention and control of JE.
These districts have also been covered under adult JE vaccination campaign. Out of 10 high burdened districts, funds have been provided for the establishment of seven Pediatric ICUs (PICU). Of these, four PICUs have been made functional, the statement added.
For the diagnosis of JE, till date 28 sentinel surveillance hospitals have been identified and the Health Ministry is providing diagnostic kits to the State free of cost, it said.
For rehabilitation of JE disabled patients, the Central Government has provided funds for the strengthening of two Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) departments at Dibrugarh Medical College and Guwahati Medical College. Japanese Encephalitis is vector-borne encephalitis transmitted by Culex groups of mosquitoes. These mosquitoes breed mainly in rice fields and large water bodies rich in aquatic vegetation.
Migratory birds along with pigs in the community play an important role in the transmission of JE from one area to another.
In AES struck Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Harsh Vardhan has issued instructions for setting up of a 100-bed paediatric intensive care unit at the Sri Krishna Medical College Hospital.
However, in 214, the Minister had announced similar decision to establish a 100-bed paediatric ICU and of setting up of five virological diagnostic laboratories in the state but it was never implemented.