'Taking best possible measures to check Japanese Encephalitis'

The announcement has come days before the beginning of monsoon season, termed as "season of death" by the residents of eastern UP as scores die due to the disease in the months of July and August.

"The problem of encephalitis was grave and the government would do everything possible to deal with it," Parliamentary affairs minister Azam Khan told the state Assembly.

Government would do everything possible to deal with the problem affecting eastern districts of the state, the minister said.

The issue came up through an adjournment notice by Radha Mohan Agarwal of BJP.

Agarwal said at least 35 districts are affected by the disease and in the BRD medical college hospital Gorakhpur alone 352 patients have been admitted since January 2012 and their number was expected to go up further after August.

Some other countries like Japan, Indonesia besides states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have been able to control it but as there were lack of facilities at the PHCs and CHCs, all the patients are being admitted at the BRD medical college hospital, he said.

He called for proper vaccination drive and setting up a high level task force for finding a way to deal with it.