Children under nine months in Myanmar getting vaccination against Japanese encephalitis

YANGON, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar children under nine months old of age are being vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis across the nation in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry of Health and Sports said Saturday.

Under the ministry's management, about 14 million children are being vaccinated since Nov. 11 under two programs - school-based vaccination program and people-based vaccination program.

The school-based vaccination program is conducted in designated local and international schools in different education levels as well as monastic education.

Meanwhile, the people-based vaccination program will be conducted in hospitals, regional health centres and designated private homes next month.

The authorities are also exerting efforts to reach every child in the country with vaccines under the program, especially in difficult-to-reach villages and border areas.

Meanwhile, health authorities have investigated the case of a 13-year-old child's death after being vaccinated in Shan state, finding out that no sign of adverse reaction to the vaccine occurred.

Similarly, two more children in Ayeyawady region were found dead in few days after being vaccinated.

A post mortem showed that acute viral infection and damage to gastrointestinal tract heart and kidney caused the death of the two children, according to the release of the ministry.

The children will be put under observation for an hour after being vaccinated for safety during the vaccination programme, according to the health authorities.