The number of infected with Japanese encephalitis in Nepal has reached 33. 10 days ago, the infection was confirmed in 13 people, but this process does not seem to stop. According to the Ministry of Health, three people have died from the Japanese encephalitis infection and it has spread to 18 districts.

According to the data of the Ministry of Health, the death rate among the infected is more than nine percent . The rising rate of infection is a clear sign that the deadly disease has spread across the country. Thousands of people have been infected with Japanese encephalitis in past years. Most of the currently infected and the dead have not been vaccinated.

former Director General of the Department of Health Services Dr. According to Yashovardhan Pradhan, vaccination is a proven and effective way to prevent the spread of Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus. Pradhan says, 'In case of JE outbreak again in the country, vaccination is the only way to save lives and prevent further effects.'

Japanese encephalitis is a viral infection found in some areas of Asia and the Western Pacific. which is in the brain . According to the World Health Organization, it is a flavivirus transmitted by the same mosquito as Dengue, Zika, Allofer and West Nile virus. According to the United Nations health agency, this virus kills about one-third of those who contract it, and half of those who survive cause severe lifelong disabilities. 

Last year, 23 people died due to this disease and more than 80 people were infected. Because only patients with severe symptoms were admitted to the hospital, or the actual number of infected people is estimated by doctors to be much higher. 

This year JE infected have been found in Morang, Bara, Jhapa, Saptari, Sirha, Sarlahi, Parsa, West Nawalparasi, Sindhuli, Bardia and Chitwan districts. According to the data of the Ministry of Health, the death rate is higher among people over the age of 15. According to experts, the risk of death and complications from JE infection is high in unvaccinated people. However, the health agency has no plans to give the vaccine immediately.

According to Dr. Abhiyaan Gautam, head of the vaccination branch of the family welfare division under the health service department, this vaccine is given under the regular vaccination program for children but is not available for adults. He said, "We have the capacity and manpower, but there is no vaccine for adults at the moment." We don't have the budget to buy vaccines . We have also requested the development partners, but the commitment to give the vaccine has not come.'

According to Gautam, various preventive measures have been implemented in the affected districts, such as awareness campaigns, environmental management for vector control and case management training for doctors in health institutions. But since the number of infected people is increasing in Terai districts, those measures have not been very effective. 

"Despite knowing how dangerous the JE virus is, we are not able to do much to vaccinate the unvaccinated people," said Dr. Vivek Kumar Lal says, "We have met several times with development partners and asked for help for vaccines, but we have not received help."

In 2005, about 2,000 people died due to JE in Nepal, most of whom were children from Terai. After that, from the year 2006, JE vaccination was started in Nepal. In the first phase, all the people in the four highly affected districts, Banke, Bardia, Dang and Kailali were given the JE vaccine . Later this vaccination program was extended to 19 other affected districts and children under 15 years of age were vaccinated. The government integrated the JE vaccine into the routine immunization program in 2015 . But still JE is not controlled every year . "Each year, the Ministry of Health spends only about 60 percent of the allocated budget," Pradhan, who is also a vaccine expert, said.