India, June 2 -- The state public health department has included the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccine as part of the routine immunization programme for Pune, Raigad, and Parbhani districts.

Dr Sandeep Sangale, joint director, state family welfare bureau, said, "The JE vaccination is still not part of national immunization across Maharashtra. There are still 37 districts and municipal corporations in the state that don't have JE vaccination as part of routine immunisation."

According to the officials, in March 2025, a pilot project for the JE vaccination drive was launched by the state health department in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Panvel districts. The health department ordered that the JE vaccination campaign be conducted only unti...