3 min readMar 10, 2026 06:06 AM IST
First published on: Mar 10, 2026 at 06:06 AM IST
Uttar Pradesh’s success against Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) stand as a remarkable public health turnaround in recent times. Driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s execution, the state moved from over 5,400 cases and 650 deaths in 2017 to a sharp decline in cases and zero fatalities in 2024.
For decades, encephalitis ravaged eastern UP. The disease struck children and young adults with sudden fever and altered sensorium, often leading to death within hours, while survivors suffered lifelong neurological and physical disabilities. By 2017, nearly 50,000 lives were lost to AES and JE. Poor water quality, malnutrition, unhygienic living conditions, and inadequate sanitation created fertile ground for transmission, while crippled health infrastructure compounded the crisis. This was not merely a medical tragedy but a reflection of sustained negligence and lack of political will by successive administrations. It was against this grim backdrop that the issue became central to the 2017 election campaign, when PM Modi pledged decisive action.
When Yogi Adityanath assumed office in 2017, encephalitis eradication became a priority issue. The challenge was not only to fight encephalitis, but to build reliable public health infrastructure. What followed was a comprehensive programme of systemic reform, anchored in the Centre’s sustained monitoring, resource allocation, inter-departmental coordination and strategic leadership. Institutional expansion saw the establishment of AIIMS in 2019 and a strengthened role for ICMR in disease surveillance. Active surveillance programmes began identifying etiological agents and risk factors, while upgraded laboratory facilities enhanced diagnostic capacity combined with wide scale development of diagnostic kits. The BRD Medical College was upgraded, encephalitis treatment centres were set up at primary and community health centres, and 24×7 ambulance services were introduced. Extensive door-to-door vaccination campaigns curbed transmission.
A significant breakthrough came from addressing living standards and hygiene. Toilets were built under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, clean piped water connections were enabled through the Jal Jeevan Mission, communicable disease campaigns were launched under the National Health Mission, nutritional adequacies were ensured under Poshan Abhiyan, and free treatment was extended under Arogya Mela and Ayushman Kendras. Capacity building of frontline staff, community and primary health workers, anganwadi workers led to equipped staff. The results were striking. AES and JE cases fell to 116 and 5 respectively in 2024. Deaths plummeted to 0 in 2024.
This was made possible by three factors: Centre–state synergy, structural reforms, and political will that prioritised mission-mode execution with accountability. Modi’s central leadership and Yogi’s state-level delivery have created a successful example of cooperative federalism, reversing decades of neglect and saving thousands of lives.
Poonawalla is national spokesperson, BJP. Rattani works on development and sustainability issues
