Jharkhand govt to launch anti-filariasis drug campaign on September 16

Ranchi: The state health department will launch a special Mass Drug Administration campaign against filariasis under the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control from September 16, state health department’s additional chief secretary Arun Kumar Singh announced on Tuesday.

Arun said, “Medicines to control filariasis would be distributed from September 16 to September 30. The 15 day drive will target around 52,37,859 beneficiaries at 34 community health centres across eight districts East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Ranchi, Khunti, Hazaribag, Giridih, Lohardaga, and Garhwa. Around 20,951 teams will organise booths at health facilities, schools, colleges, and public places on the inaugural day of the drive. They will start door to door campaign from the second day. Also, rapid response teams will handle any side effect of the drug consumption among the target groups.”

Chavvi Pant, the joint director of NCVBDC, said, “Filariasis is a challenge that hinders global well being by affecting the economy. There were approximately 43,985 lymphedema patients and 44,620 hydrocele patients in 2020-2021, of which 38,376 have been operated.”

A combination of diethylcarbamazine and albendazole drugs would be administered to the target group to curb the transmission of the disease. Children below two years of age, pregnant women, and seriously ill people would not be included in the drive, Arun Singh added.

The special projects officer of vector borne diseases under the department of health and family welfare in the state, Dr Anil Kumar, said, “Filariasis is preventable with the administration of anti-filarial drugs during the annual MDA. The medicine is to be taken once a year and should be continuously consumed for five years. The trained health workers deployed under the MDA drive would ensure that the beneficiaries consume the medicines in front of them.”

Filariasis is a disabling disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes. Usually acquired in childhood, the infection damages the lymphatic system and if left untreated, causes enlargement of body parts like hydrocele (swelling of the scrotum) and lymphedema (swelling in the limbs). A few also develop chronic cough called Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia and can have symptoms like passing of milky white urine (chyluria), fever, and vomiting.