Nepal will launch immunization campaign against Japanese encephalitis in the most affected districts, senior government official said here Monday.

"The Ministry of Health and Population is to launch an immunization campaign in June in six districts of the Terai belt of Nepal, which are most affected from Japanese encephalitis," Mahendra Bahadur Bista, Director General at Health Service Department, told reporters.

Earlier, one-dose vaccines were successfully given as a pilot project in some districts.

Some 12.5 million people are under threat in 24 districts of Terai belt, the southern part of the country, Bista noted, adding, "Of them, 2.5 million people will get the vaccine against Japanese encephalitis this time."

Most affected are children all above one year of age from mid- western Banke, Bardia and Dang and far-western Kailali district, and children of the 1-14 year age group of far-western Kanchanpur and western Rupandehi district.

The campaign is expected to cost 108 million Nepali rupees (1. 54 million US dollars).

The ministry will launch such campaigns in other affected districts in the future, Bista noted.

According to statistics, some 13,917 people were affected and 1, 718 died of the disease in the past eight years, he added.

Source: Xinhua