Several ministries involved in drive against Japanese Encephalitis: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

With hundreds of children dying of Japanese Encephalitis and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome every year, the government has started a national level programme converging several ministries to tackle the crisis, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Replying to a question, he said the Health ministry is the nodal ministry for the programme and various ministries, including Drinking Water Supply, Women and Child Development, Social Justice, Rural Development and Urban Development, will coordinate with it.

Vardhan was recently in Bihar, which has witnessed 150 deaths, more than any other state, till July 8 this year and had launched an intensive vaccination campaign which is part of the programme.

The programme covers 60 high endemic districts of five states which contribute more than 85 percent of the burden of JE and AES in the country, he said.

Eastern UP has seen 77 deaths this year till July 8 against 576 last year, he said.