Pune: PMC’s JE Vaccination Drive Covers 2.26 Lakh Children So Far; Campaign Sees Higher Turnout Of Girls Than Boys
Pune, 31st March 2025: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination is being administered to children aged 1 to 15 in Pune to protect them from the potentially fatal disease. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) launched the vaccination drive on 1st March aiming to immunize over 10.43 lakh children. However, the campaign has been progressing slowly due to ongoing school examinations and vacations, which have caused disruptions. Despite the challenges, the Health Department has successfully vaccinated 2.26 lakh children by 26th March.
Japanese Encephalitis, also known as viral encephalitis, is transmitted through the bite of Culex mosquitoes. The disease affects the brain and can lead to severe neurological complications or even death, making vaccination essential. The immunization sessions are being conducted at primary and secondary schools, anganwadi centers, and community health centers.
The PMC has organized 6,692 vaccination sessions across 15 Ward offices, involving 522 vaccination staff, 365 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers, 1,092 anganwadi sevikas, and 848 teachers.
Interestingly, the campaign has seen a higher turnout of girls compared to boys. Of the 2,26,387 children vaccinated so far, 1,05,955 were girls, while 1,20,965 were boys, indicating that more girls have received the JE vaccine during this drive.
To ensure the campaign’s success, PMC’s Assistant Health Officer, Dr. Rajesh Dighe, has urged parents to encourage their children to participate in the vaccination program. He also advised parents to reach out to nearby schools, anganwadi centers, or the PMC Health Department for more information.
