UP launches Dastak Campaign to eradicate AES & JE

Uttar Pradesh government has launched a massive campaign called ‘Dastak’ to eradicate deadly Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) disease.

About Dastak Campaign

It is a state-wide campaign against communicative diseases which will run from 1st to 31st July 2019. It is started by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

This campaign is part of a comprehensive Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategy embraced by state government.

Background: In 2018, UP government started ‘Dastak’ campaign in association with UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) to control encephalitis and other vector-borne diseases. As part of campaign, entire state machinery with help of UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) went door to door in 38 districts affected by JE and AES. The state government claimed that campaign has improved health conditions and fatality rate due to AES and JE dripped since then.

Procedure: Under it teams will go door to door in every village of state’s 75 districts to create awareness about communicable diseases as well as Acute Encephalitis Syndrome and Japanese Encephalitis. The districts sensitive for the vector-borne diseases such as encephalitis, dengue, kalaazar, malaria, chickungunya, etc. are already marked.

Department Involved: In this large scale campaign, many state departments such as health, primary education, rural development, will work together to spread awareness about diseases through mass media communication.

Mandate: The campaign will ensure availability of clean drinking water, initiate sanitation drive. It will also ensure vaccination and early treatment so that disease should be nipped in bud.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2019