Patna, April 23 : Bihar Tuesday launched a special vaccination drive to cover 1.8 million children against Japanese encephalitis, a minister here said.

"It is to provide immunity against the deadly Japanese encephalitis to children in the age group of 1-15 years in the state," Health Minister Ashwani Choubey said.

He added that the vaccines would be administered at all government and private schools, and primary health centres across the state.

Last year, the acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) killed nearly 240 children in Bihar's Muzaffarpur and Gaya districts.

AES is a severe case of encephalitis characterised by inflammation of the brain.(IANS)