JE vaccination in seven more districts, more than 27 lakh children to be covered with a single dose

With Tamil Nadu expanding the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination programme to seven more districts, the Health department plans to reach a total of 27,63,152 children aged one to 15 years with a single dose of JE vaccine.

Focused vaccination campaigns will be held at government and government-aided schools, anganwadi centres, orphanages and juvenile homes. Health Minister Ma. Subramanian launched the expansion of the JE vaccination programme in Chennai on Wednesday.

According to a press release, JE is a mosquito borne zoonotic viral disease transmitted by certain species of Culex mosquitoes. The disease affects the central nervous system and can cause severe complications, seizures and even death. The case fatality rate is very high and those who survive may suffer various degrees of neurological sequelae. Children suffer the highest attack rates because of lack of cumulative immunity due to natural infection.

JE vaccination is implemented as an one-time campaign after which it is integrated into the routine immunisation programme. The campaign targets children aged one to 15 years in districts with the highest risk in the country.

Since 2007, JE vaccination programme is implemented in 15 endemic revenue districts in TN – Chennai (two zones), Cuddalore, Virudhunagar, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Tiruchi, Tiruvarur, Madurai, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruvallur, Pudukottai and Karur – initially in campaign mode among children aged one to 15 years and later included under routine immunisation.

Taking into consideration the high burden of JE cases in additional districts during 2023-2025, the vaccination programme currently operational in 15 endemic districts, is now being expanded to cover seven additional districts – Chennai (except the two already covered zones), Chengalpattu, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kancheepuram, Nagapattinam and Vellore.

The campaign will be implemented in three approaches. There will be school vaccination campaigns in all government and government aided schools for children aged five to 15 from August 13 to September 12. Children aged one to five years and school drop outs would be covered through vaccination campaigns in all anganwadi centres from September 13 to October 12. Children aged one to 15 years in all orphanages and juvenile homes will be covered from October 13 to November 12. All three focused campaigns planned on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, will be for a maximum of 12 days followed by a week for mop up of left out children.

Vaccines will be administered by Village Health Nurses, Urban Health Nurses and Mid-Level Health Care Providers wherever required under the supervision of District Health Officers and District Maternal and Child Health Officers. The Health department has requested parents, guardians, school authorities, and community leaders to cooperate with field health workers and ensure that all eligible children receive the free of cost JE vaccine during the campaign.