BELLARY: Bellary is the only district in the State and one among 11 districts in the country to be included in the Japanese encephalitis (brain fever) immunisation programme this year.

The immunisation programme for children in the age group of one to 15 will be held in the district from July 10 to July 16. Besides Bellary, five districts in Uttar Pradesh, two each in Bihar and Assam one in West Bengal will be covered under the programme undertaken by the Union Government.

Mosquito-borne

Japanese encephalitis, transmitted by mosquitoes, affects the central nervous system and causes severe complications and even death. A laboratory and a physiotherapy unit functioning at the Women and Children Hospital, a wing of the Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Science here, has been providing treatment to affected children in the district and those from Anantapur and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh.

Bellary district is gearing up to implement the programme. A meeting of the task force headed by Deputy Commissioner Arvind Srivastav was held to chalk out the programme.

In the district, of the total population of 21.44 lakh, nearly a third (7.2 lakh) are in the age group of one to 15. The meeting decided to draw the required health staff from the neighbouring districts besides taking help of teachers and volunteers to implement the programme.

In addition, the meeting also decided to undertake an awareness campaign by displaying boards and hoardings about the programme and preventive measures to be taken.

C.M. Shirol, chief executive officer Bellary Zilla Panchayat; R.V. Hanumaiah, district health officer; and Prabhudev, Deputy Director of Health, were among the officials who attended the meeting.

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