Parents in India’s Uttar Pradesh say a state-run Japanese Encephalitis vaccination program has failed. It’s been hampered by a number of reasons ranging from a shortage of the vaccine, to its poor quality and low potency, to vaccines that had nearly expired.

Many locals say they were turned away when they went to hospitals to get their children vaccinated.

[Danesh Kumar, Local]: (male, Hindi)
"We were here today to get our children vaccinated…but we came to know there will be no vaccination. We got to know the vaccines available are not of good quality. The government announces a date for vaccination…and when we go to the block for vaccination…we come to know that the vaccines are not appropriate…then why does the government announce the dates at all?"

Officials say the state government has been trying to get more doses.

The immunization drive was supposed to start on Tuesday. However, there were not enough vaccines and the government was forced to select only some blocks in the district. And many children were left out.

With the monsoon season just round the corner, people of Gorakhpur are dreading the outbreak of the disease.

[Dr. R. N. Singh, Encephalitis Eradication Movement]: (male, Hindi)
"If the children are vaccinated after 15th June, then the vaccine will be effective only by the end of July, which will take many innocent lives."

Hundreds have died every year in the district alone of Japanese Encephalitis, which causes an inflammation of the brain.