Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who visited encephalitis-affected villages of Patna and Muzaffarpur, said his Ministry’s aim was to ensure 100 per cent immunisation of children. The Minister also announced new research initiatives on encephalitis, a Health Ministry release said on Sunday.

Vardhan visited Bihar as part of a two-day campaign aimed at alleviating the situation as the mortality rate and the number of affected children by encephalitis was ‘alarming’ in these areas.

He said, “Immunisation is a must for children for safeguarding them against all diseases, not only encephalitis. Our aim is to ensure 100 per cent immunisation of children.” According to doctors and officials in Bihar, around 92 per cent children in the affected districts have not been vaccinated, the release added.

A model rural health research unit on Kala Azar would be set up in Muzaffarpur district, he said. The Minister also announced that a School of Public Health and a Department of Environmental Health Occupational Medicine would be newly opened in AIIMS-Patna and five virological diagnostics laboratories will be set up in Gaya, Bhagalpur, Bettiah, Pavapuri and Nalanda, as well as two multi-disciplinary research units at Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga.

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