JHAPA, Sept 17: More than 500,000 people in Jhapa district are set to receive vaccines against Japanese encephalitis (JE).
The District Health Office, Jhapa, announced at a programme held in Birtamod on Wednesday that a vaccination campaign will be conducted from September 21 to October 1, targeting residents above 30 years of age across all 15 local levels in the district.
According to office chief Brij Kumar Das, the required vaccines have already arrived in the district. Preparations, including coordination with local governments, orientation for health workers and management of vaccination centres, have been completed.
9 people die from Japanese Encephalitis in this season
“We are launching the vaccination campaign with heightened vigilance as JE infections and deaths have been increasing,” Das said. “We have coordinated with local governments and health institutions to ensure that no one in the target group is left out.”
The office said it has received 570,000 doses for the campaign. Vaccination services will be provided through 900 centres established across 131 wards in the district.
Around 500 health workers, 611 female community health volunteers and more than 3,000 volunteers will be mobilised during the campaign. The office said Jhapa has recorded one of the highest rates of JE infection in the country, prompting authorities to launch the campaign there.
So far, 13 people have tested positive for JE in Jhapa, seven of whom have died. Six of those infected were above 50 years old, while one was an eight year old child. Das said none of those who died had received a JE vaccine.
“The vaccine is completely safe. Some people may experience mild effects after vaccination, but these do not cause serious health problems,” Das said. “People in the target group need to participate in the campaign and get vaccinated.”
He urged everyone in the target group to receive the vaccine, except pregnant women and patients who are temporarily unable to receive vaccination due to their medical condition.
