The Tamil Nadu Health Department has announced the expansion of its Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination campaign to seven additional districts, including the capital city, Chennai. The program aims to vaccinate approximately 27 lakh children in the coming months as part of a state-wide effort to reduce the spread of this life-threatening vector-borne disease.
The vaccination camps would be held in three well-planned phases to ensure children in high-risk districts are given complete protection. In addition to this, the increased vaccination campaign will be organized in all 13 zones of Chennai, including Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Nagapattinam, and Vellore. Kids between 1 to 15 years of age in these districts will be administered one dose of the JE vaccine.
Furthermore, to ensure maximum coverage, vaccination camps will be held at government and aided schools, anganwadi centres, orphanages, and juvenile reform homes. The doses will be administered on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays for 12 days during each phase.
- Phase 1 (Aug 13 – Sept 12)- Schools: Government and aided schools will have vaccination camps for children aged five to 15 years.
- Phase 2 (Sept 13 – Oct 12)- Anganwadis: Children between one to 5 years of age.
- Phase 3 (Oct 13 – Nov 12)- Orphanages and juvenile reform schools: Vaccination of all children between 1–15 years of age.
The state's specific expansion will be targeted in districts where JE is endemic to reduce mortality and morbidity rates in children. Alongside, health officials are appealing to parents, guardians, and community workers to make sure children show up on their rescheduled vaccination day.
This is a preventive measure that can be lifesaving. The officials appealed to families to make it a priority. And, with this expansion, Tamil Nadu reinforces its youngest citizens from one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the region.