Kalinga health workers to conduct JE vaccination

OF TABUK, Kalinga -- Health workers will conduct next month a provincewide immunization against Japanese Encephalitis(JE) for 0 to 59 months old children in support to the first nationwide immunization program against the virus.

Dr. Bernadette Andaya, team head of the Provincial Department of Health Office (PDOHO), said health personnel in rural health units, municipal health offices and barangay health workers will join forces to implement the program with the assistance of PDOHO’s human resources.

“Vaccines were already delivered and on stock at the Provincial Health Office,” she said adding that vaccinators were already oriented. She said information, education and communication are being held in the barangays to urge parents allow their children get vaccinated.

Andaya said there are 19 cases of JE- inflicted patients in the Cordillera region. “In the province, 4 are from Tabuk City, others are from Rizal and one reported death last year from Ballayangon, Pinukpuk,” she reported.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a flavivirus related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses, and is spread by mosquitoes. JEV is the main cause of viral encephalitis in

many countries of Asia with an estimated 68,000 clinical cases every year. Although symptomatic JE is rare, the case-fatality rate among those with encephalitis can be as high as 30 percent.

There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving severe clinical signs and supporting the patient to overcome the infection. Safe and effective vaccines are available to prevent JE.

WHO recommends that JE vaccination be integrated into national immunization schedules in all areas where JE disease is recognized as a public health issue. 24 countries in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions have endemic JEV transmission, exposing more than 3 billion people to risks of infection.

The first case of JE was documented in 1871 in Japan.