Fadnavis says Maharashtra intensifies fight against Japanese encephalitis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said Maharashtra has intensified its efforts to prevent the spread of Japanese encephalitis with a renewed focus on vaccination surveillance and public awareness campaigns across vulnerable regions reported PTIIn an official statement the Chief Minister emphasised that safeguarding public health remains the governmentrsquos top priority and called for coordinated action from all health departments to ensure effective disease controlState Strengthens Preventive MeasuresFadnavis said the state has ramped up preventive strategies including vaccination drives mosquito control measures and awareness programmes aimed at reducing the risk of infection reported PTIHe noted that although vaccination efforts for Japanese encephalitis had begun in several states around 2015ndash16 Maharashtra initiated its programme later after identifying cases in parts of the Vidarbha region Following coordination with the Centre the state launched immunisation efforts that have significantly reduced the number of cases reported PTICases Remain Low but Vigilance ContinuesAccording to official data the number of cases in Maharashtra has remained relatively low in recent years The state reported two cases in 2022 five in 2023 five cases with two deaths in 2024 and seven cases with one death in 2025 No cases have been reported so far in 2026 reported PTIOfficials said districts in Vidarbha mdash including Nagpur Bhandara Chandrapur and Gadchiroli mdash remain the most vulnerable due to environmental conditions favourable for mosquito breedingStrong Progress in Vaccination CoverageThe state has recorded significant progress in its vaccination campaign between April 2025 and February 2026 Officials reported that 8926 per cent of the target population has received the first dose while 7868 per cent has been covered with the second dose reported PTIDistricts such as Dharashiv Latur and Solapur have achieved high coverage However relatively lower uptake of the second dose has been observed in Raigad Pune and parts of PimpriChinchwad reported PTIHealthcare Infrastructure and Surveillance ExpandedTo strengthen diagnosis and treatment the state has established sentinel surveillance centres in key locations including Nagpur Gadchiroli Sevagram in Wardha Bhandara and Gondia Additionally paediatric intensive care units have been set up in 16 districts to handle severe casesAuthorities are also implementing multiple control measures such as fogging operations monitoring mosquito species releasing larvaeating fish in breeding areas and conducting sanitation drivesPublic Advisory IssuedHealth officials have urged citizens particularly parents of young children to ensure timely vaccination and adopt precautions against mosquito bites They have also advised seeking immediate medical attention in case of fever seizures or neurological symptoms reported PTIJapanese encephalitis is a serious infection that affects the brain and can lead to longterm complications or death in severe cases Officials said sustained vigilance and community participation are key to keeping the disease under control in MaharashtraWith inputs from PTI