Centre sets 95 per cent coverage target for Mass Drug Administration campaign

New Delhi: The Centre has set a target of achieving more than 95 per cent coverage of the eligible population under the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign this year against the nationwide coverage of 82.5 per cent last year, Minister of State for Health S P Singh Baghel said on Saturday. Baghel launched the first phase of the bi-annual campaign for Lymphatic Filariasis elimination.

The campaign aims to check disease transmission by providing free preventive medications to the residents in areas affected by the disease. The campaign will cover 92 districts across 11 states and will run for the next two weeks.

Applauding the health care professionals, especially those working tirelessly to support the fight against the disease, he said, "We expect a great success due to the launch of this bi-annual Mass Drug Administration. Last year, the coverage was 82.5 per cent whereas this year we should make greater efforts and try to achieve more than 95 per cent coverage of the eligible population."

He further urged to work in a mission mode approach with social mobilisation and active community participation to ensure comprehensive sensitisation with the help of the concerned departments such as panchayati raj, education, rural development, tribal affairs, urban bodies and medical colleges to make it a "people's movement".