TURA: The district-wide Japanese Encephalitis (JE) Vaccination Campaign, 2020 for South West Garo Hills District was officially launched on Monday by Deputy Commissioner, A M Sangma at Boldamgre village under Kalaichar PHC.
The launching took place in the presence of DMHO Ampati, Dr. K.A. Sangma, District Immunization Officer, Dr. Noreen Sangma, MO in-charge Kalaichar PHC, Dr. Tengrikchan Sangma, DPM-NHM, Ampati Shirley Sangma, Nokma of Boldamgre village and other district officials and healthworkers.
JE vaccination campaign from October 5 to October 31, 2020 is also being launched simultaneously in all the three blocks of the district. The district target is to vaccinate 55,803 beneficiaries in the age group of 1 to 15 years in 459 villages across the district free of cost during the campaign.
Addressing the community leaders, parents and the beneficiaries on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner said that JE vaccination campaign has been started by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and State Health department under National Health Mission to make the nation and the state free from Japanese Encephalitis as there is no cure for this disease and vaccination is the only way to prevent it. He urged upon every child beneficiary, the parents and the community to extend their support and cooperation to make the campaign a success in the district. The Deputy Commissioner also spoke about the need for behavioural change among the community in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and urged upon the gathering to always wear masks in the crowd, maintain physical distancing and follow hand hygiene and cough etiquettes.
Earlier, the DMHO, Ampati, Dr. K.A. Sangma, in her brier introductory note informed that the JE vaccination campaign was to be launched in the month of March itself but had to be kept on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also informed that there is no treatment for JE and can be prevented only vaccination and urged upon all the parents to vaccinate their children free of cost during the campaign period.
