Encephalitis claims 623 lives eastern UP this year

Children were vaccinated in Gorakhpur and Basti divisions after which the cases of mosquito-borne Japanese Encephalitis declined to an extent, but the number of deaths remained almost the same, Singh told PTI.

The disease claimed 1,135 lives in 2005, 434 in 2006, 547 in 2007, 515 in 2008, 568 in 2009, 543 in 2010, 655 in 2011 and 608 in 2012, as per the data.

Ruing that there was no major decline in number of deaths due to encephalitis, Singh said in 2011, a national programme proposed by a Group of Ministers is yet to be implemented.  

The government was concentrating on treatment and not prevention, he said, and alleged that the state and Centre were “merely indulging into politics over the issue”.  

“It is only after the situation turns serious the governments start working on treatment and prevention,” the doctor said.