NHRC notice to Malkangiri Collector over Japanese encephalitis deaths

The Commission took cognisance of media reports about spread of the disease in several villages in Odisha

The National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday issued a notice to Malkangiri District Collector in Odisha over recent deaths due to Japanese encephalitis in the area.

The NHRC has asked for a detailed report, within four weeks, including on what has been done to prevent the spread of the disease, from the District Collector and the Odisha Health and Family Welfare Secretary.

The NHRC took

suo motu cognisance of media reports that many children had died of Japanese encephalitis as the disease spread through several villages of Malkangiri.

The Hindu had reported in September that at least 15 children had died of Japanese encephalitis, which is carried by mosquitoes from pigs to humans.

Referring to the unhygienic conditions in which the disease thrives, the NHRC observed that the district authorities should improve sanitation and create awareness among villagers.

According to the Commission, if the news reports are true, they point towards the violation of the Right to Health and Life of residents. As per the NHRC, social workers and authorities in the district have apparently said that only solution would be to vaccinate children, ruling out the option of culling pigs.

Authorities have said that they can start the vaccination programme next year, which the NHRC said would be “too late.”