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After hundreds of children lost their lives to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in UP in the last two years, the Central government has finally decided to include JE vaccination in the National Routine Immunisation Programme.

The objective is to bring down child mortality rate in the high endemic areas, like Gorakhpur.

The vaccine, 'SA-14-14-2', will this time be imported from China and administered to children in the age group of one-two years, along with six other vaccines proposed in the National Immunisation Programme.

"If things go according to plans, JE vaccination along with routine immunisation programme will start this year," said Gaya Prasad, deputy director, Regional Office of Health and Family Welfare, UP and Uttarankhand.

Gaya Prasad said the best part was that the Chinese vaccine would develop a life long immunity in children against the virus.

"Earlier we were using local vaccines, which needed to be administered in three rounds along with the booster dose. Since the follow-up was poor, the vaccination programmes failed to achieve desired results," he added.

Importantly, the government has also decided to vaccinate children and teenagers in the age group of one to 15 years against JE under 'Special JE Vaccination Drive' in 21 districts in UP, West Bengal, Assam, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

"UP alone accounts for one-third of districts identified in the whole country for conducting the JE vaccination drive. The vaccination drive will very soon start in seven districts, including Gorakhpur, Sitapur, Balrampur, Gonda, Basti, Balrampur, Shravasti and Bahraich," said Gaya Prasad.

"This will be the second phase of JE vaccination in UP. In the first phase, children in high endemic regions in seven districts of the State were vaccinated against the virus. This effectively brought down the high mortality rate due to the disease in UP last year," he said.

Email Smriti Malaviya: smriti-malaviya77@India.com