UP: Nine depts join hands to launch decisive battle against Japanese Encephalitis, Acute encephalitis

LUCKNOW: Nine departments would join together to launch a decisive battle against vector-borne diseases in the state. Undeterred by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the UP government has decided to launch an aggressive campaign against vector-borne diseases, particularly encephalitis, from October 1.
“The initiative taken by the state government over the past three years has helped in bringing the problem of Japanese Encephalitis and Acute encephalitis syndrome under control. By taking the correct steps and ensuring their effective implementation through highest levels of inter-departmental coordination, UP has set an example of sorts for the world,” the CM told heads of nine departments which have to work together for the infectious diseases control campaign.

The state has seen a sharp fall in the number of JE, AES cases over the past three years. Speaking in Gorakhpur early this month, the CM said: “In Gorakhpur, at least 600 children used to die due to AES every year between 1977 and 2017. After we came to power in 2017, several people joined Swachh Bharat Mission. Only six children died due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Gorakhpur this year, which means we have controlled over 99% deaths.” Gorakhpur and adjoining districts have been a hotbed for the JE and AES for the past three decades.
The nine departments which would join the campaign are health, medical education, education, rural development & panchyati raj, Swachh Bharat Mission, Women and Child development, ICDS, urban development, animal husbandry and agriculture.
The month-long campaign will be the third this year and will also include house-to-house awareness 'Dastak' fortnight in which health teams visit every house to spread awareness about all infectious diseases.
Admitting that the task to implement the campaign had been complicated by Covid-19 pandemic, the CM said: “All the departments concerned should work in tandem to ensure that the system to counter infectious diseases is in place. Also all possible precautions to save the field staff from Covid-19 must be taken.”
Setting the goals for the officials, the CM stated: “while the health department must ensure that treatment facilities in the CHCs, PHCs and district hospitals of JE affected districts are in place, stakeholder departments must ensure that there cleanliness objectives are met.”
The CM also emphasised the role of clean drinking water in communicable diseases prevention besides directing health officials to identify children who missed out their regular routine immunization shots and reach out to them in a mop up round. He also emphasized the need for sensitising women and children about communicable diseases with the help of ASHAs and Anganwadi workers.
Officials from the education department were told to make use of the online platform to create awareness about JE, AES and other viral diseases like dengue, chikungunya, H1N1. In addition to this, the CM told officials from the information and public relations department to make use of radio, electronic and print media to undertake awareness programmes and distribute informative handbill, electronic in the vulnerable districts.
The CM made it clear that no laxity in tackling JE, AES and other communicable diseases will be tolerated.