The Assam government on Monday said that a mass vaccination drive against Japanese Encephalitis would be launched in the state from November 1 next.

This was announced by state Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma at the floor of the Assam Legislative Assembly on Monday.

He further said that Japanese Encephalitis vaccination drive came to a halt due to the spreading of rumours by a section of people after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2016.

In 2016, just after the BJP came to power in Dispur, a rumour spread among the members of a particular community that persons administered with the vaccine will turn infertile. this impacted the vaccination drive," Sarma said.

"This halt in the vaccination drive can be attributed as one of the reasons for the spreading of Japanese Encephalitis in the state, which earlier was confined to five or six districts of the state, which now has spread to 27," Sarma further added.

"We are concerned that it may reach epidemic proportions,” he added.

The Health Minister further informed that the Japanese Encephalitis vaccination coverage was highest among the children and hence less number of children have died due to the disease.

He also informed the House that in districts like Barpeta, Darrang, Dhubri and Goalpara, the Japanese Encephalitis fatality rate has been the highest this year.

Emphasising on vaccination, Sarma said, "This disease has no treatment and vaccination is the only cure and help."

"If the vaccination drive is not strengthened, the disease can then

As the death toll due to Japanese Encephalitis touched 125 on Monday, the Health Minister made it a certainty that the vaccination drive against the disease will start on war footing from November 1 next.