Bihar to have its 1st encephalitis immunization campaign

Editorial Team June 21, 2014 at 3:00 pm

Mr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Health Minister on Saturday said that the Central Government is willing to launch an immunization campaign on encephalitis to ensure 100 percent immunization in states where children were hit by a suspected encephalitis outbreak. Harsh Vardhan, who arrived Patna on Friday night, said to reporters ‘My top priority now is to ensure 100 percent immunization for children of the encephalitis struck area.’ (Read: West Bengal litchi virus – kills eight childern, leaves six more in serious condition)

The Union Health Minister is set to visit the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar (the worst hit place by encephalitis) today to personally scrutinize the progress in the situation. In the past three-week time, the suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has claimed nearly 130 lives of children in Bihar, mostly of to the Muzaffarpur region. He also said that the Chief Minister of Bihar, Mr. Jitan Ram Manjhi has requested him to launch this health initiative to check the disease. He also added that the center is also very serious to tackle this situation.
The Encephalitis disease that was restricted to the Muzaffarpur area till last week, has now spread to  many other surrounding districts namely – Sheohar, Vaishali, Sitamarhi, Samastipur, East Champaran, Gaya,   Bhagalpur and Begusarai districts. According to the doctors, the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome is a severe case of encephalitis that causes serious inflammation of the brain. Also, this infection is easily transmitted by mosquitoes causing high grade fever among children suffering from this condition.
What is encephalitis?
Encephalitis is a disease that results in inflammation of the brain. The patient’s central nervous system is affected. While the lesser symptoms include headaches and fevers, the more severe ones cause the onset of mental issues like seizures, confusion, disorientation, tremors and hallucinations. It can be caused due to bacterial or viral infections of the brain, injection of toxic substances or increased complications of an infectious disease. (Read:Disease trends in India)