Tripura demands 1.83 lakh meningitis vaccines from Centre

Tripura demands 1.83 lakh meningitis vaccines from Centre

AGARTALA, Dec 18: Following a report of fresh cases of Meningococcal Meningitis in remote locations of North Tripura, the state government has demanded 1.83 lakh vaccines from Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, State Health Minister Tapan Chakraborty said.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Chakraborty said two deaths were reported so far this month from Meningitis-affected Rajdhar area under Dhalai district while seven cases had been reported. He said besides operating a make-shift hospital, which had opened early this year, a specialist medical team was sent to the affected areas. “Altogether 285 cases of Meningococcal Meningitis have so far been reported and the toll has been recorded at 62 this year,” he said.

Chakraborty said after long persuasion the Centre had sent a three-member expert team from National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) led by Dr Pankaj Singh who studied the situation in the wake of spread of the disease.

Following the recommendation of the Central team, the health department requested the ministry to supply 1.83 lakh vaccines in September, as the experts advised that the recurrence of the disease might continue for next three-four years and mass vaccination would be the best remedy.

“Unfortunately, since the previous government’s tenure we have been demanding for supply of Meningococcal vaccines because of our fund crunch, but nothing was done and finally we procured about 30,000 vaccines from open market,” he added. The State Government issued public advertisement asking the people to come under hospital medication immediately if they complained of fever, body ache, sudden itching or allergy while advising them to keep safe distance from other patients and undertake all possible precautions. (UNI)