Although the government has 500,000,000 stocks of JE vaccine for 12-month-old babies and it is said to be enough for this year, the vaccine for adults is not available. According to officials of the Department of Health Services, about one and a half billion rupees are required to purchase vaccines for the population of five million, but the government has not allocated the budget.
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Since 4 people died last week from Japanese encephalitis (JE) infection, there is a need to be serious. In the last three months, the number of deaths has reached 12 and now 63 people are infected with JE across the country, it has been confirmed by the organizations affiliated to the Ministry of Health. Since the infection has also spread in 24 districts including Tehrathum, Jhapa, Morang, Bara, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan and Kailali, sensitive initiatives are inevitable.
The number of people suffering from dengue, Japanese encephalitis, malaria and elephantiasis due to mosquito bites is increasing every year. Even if cured, this disease is considered terrible due to physical and mental stress, long-term effects on health, economic losses during the infection period. Therefore, intervention from all levels of government and society is necessary. Awareness and preparation should be done to prevent the infection from spreading to other places.
Culex mosquitoes can transmit the virus to humans after biting JE-infected animals, especially pigs and ducks. According to experts, if 250 people are bitten by such mosquitoes, only one person may experience serious problems. But 30 percent of patients with severe infections may die.
also causes severe lifelong disability in half of survivors. There is no definitive treatment for JE infection, recovery depends on the patient's immune system. Within 5 to 15 days after being bitten by a mosquito infected with JE, symptoms such as severe headache, high fever, fainting, vomiting, and stiff neck may appear. On the other hand, since the infection can be seen in people of any age group, the family and the community should take precautionary measures. However, it is not transmitted from person to person. Similarly, it is not transmitted to humans by touching infected animals or eating animal products.
The first and most important way to avoid all types of mosquito-borne infections is to avoid mosquito bites. This is the advice given every time an infection spreads and a person dies. This is also the time for dengue infection to spread. JE is also spread in 24 districts. Therefore, everyone should personally find ways to avoid mosquito bites. You can do things like not going out of the house as much as possible in the evening and morning, wearing clothes with full sleeves as much as possible even when staying at home, applying safe ointments as recommended by the doctor, sleeping with a swing. But avoiding mosquito bites is not an easy task.
Therefore, individual and community campaigns should be started. Like, you have to make a hole where the water freezes. A container with water that will be stored for a few days should be covered. A campaign should be launched to find and destroy mosquito larvae. Spray drugs to kill mosquitoes. All kinds of infections can be avoided and saved if such measures are adopted. The data of
infection is only confirmed. But there may still be a number of people who don't show serious symptoms or go to the hospital and get tested. Therefore, vaccination is considered an effective option to prevent JE infection in anyone. The importance of vaccination is even greater because most of the deaths this time were not vaccinated against JE.
Since 2015, since 2015, the government has been regularly giving vaccinations against JE in the 12 months after the birth of infants, as one dose of the vaccine can prevent the disease for life. Vaccination should not be missed at that time to protect children from infection until they are older. On the other hand, adults can also be vaccinated against JE. Therefore, adults in endemic areas should be vaccinated while available. The government should also conduct a vaccination campaign in such places. Also, emphasis should be placed on publicizing ways to avoid JE.
The government has a stock of 500,000,000 vaccines against JE given to 12-month-old children, and it is said that it is enough for this year, but the vaccine for adults is not available. According to officials of the Department of Health Services, about one and a half billion rupees are required to purchase vaccines for the population of five million, but the government has not allocated the budget.
The vaccine has not been able to be collected due to the lack of a plan to help even donor agencies. Therefore, it is unlikely that the vaccine will be available for adults immediately on the government's initiative. On the other hand, even if a vaccine is available, it takes about a month to work. Until then, the infection may take a different form. So avoiding mosquito bites is the best option for now. For that, the mosquito control plan should be implemented. All three levels of government, local organizations and the community should be active.
