Vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis to begin next week

Lucknow, May 12 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh government today announced that vaccination against the deadly disease of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) would begin next week in five districts of the eastern parts of the state.

Replying to a question in the state assembly, state revenue minsiter Ambika Choudhury said the imported Chinese vaccines had reached the country and were being repackaged at Karnal.

''In the first phase, around 52 lakh vials would be injected to children aged begtween 1-15 yrs in Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Deoria, Kushinagar and Lakhimpur Kheri districts,'' he said.

In the second phase, Siddharthnagar and Sant Kabirnagar districts would be taken up.

He said all arrangements had been made to maintain the cold chain required for vaccines, while fogging and indoor spray had already started in the affected areas.

Last year, more than 1,000 people, mostly children had lost their lives due to JE in several eastern UP districts.

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