Beware of filariasis, Japanese encephalitis: Madhya Pradesh health department

Bhopal: A tweet from the official account of the MP directorate of health services has raised several eyebrows. It warns ‘Kala-azar, malaria, dengue, chikungunya, filariasis and Japanese encephalitis can affect anyone.”

State officials at National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) are tight-lipped about the mentioning of Japanese encephalitis and filariasis. These diseases were never thought to be a threat in MP all these years. JE was mostly limited to parts of Uttar Pradesh and whatever interventions were done by the state it was limited to the districts bordering UP.
The Madhya Pradesh government or health authorities have not yet confirmed the threat of Japanese encephalitis or filariasis. Last year, Madhya Pradesh reported 1,688 malaria cases. The number this year has already crossed 264 as of June. It is likely to climb given the monsoon and floods in most parts of the state. The state is in the grip of viral fever and vector-borne diseases.

A massive 15,592 dengue cases were reported in MP last year. Given the monsoon season, experts believe that the vector control programme could be well stretched this year too. Though some vector control activity has been undertaken by the health department in some districts it is grossly inadequate.

Data for dengue and chikungunya has not been updated after May. Malaria reporting of cases is available till June for MP by NVBDCP. More alarming is the non-availability of data for Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese encephalitis which is new for the state. The first cases of AES and JE were reported in 2019.

The latest update says 400 cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) were reported in MP in 2021. It led to four deaths while 29 cases of Japanese encephalitis lead to another four deaths last year. A case of JE has to be followed and a community-wide effort to protect others, especially pregnant women is mandated under the guidelines.

Data for this year for Madhya Pradesh for the twin ailments has not been reported by National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme in the public domain. Overall, 53 cases of Chikungunya after 621 suspected have been tested MP this year. This accounts for 3.4% of all cases reported in India.

The districts of Chhatarpur, Chhindwara, Damoh, Datia, Katni, Panna, Rewa, Sagar, Satna, Tikamgarh and Umaria have been listed in 257 endemic districts for lymphatic filariasis.