Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Anti-filariasis drive starts today

Thiruvananthapuram: The district health administration has completed all arrangements for the third round of mass drug administration (MDA) on Thursday, which is required as part of the national anti-filariasis programme.

The district-level inauguration of the programme will be held at Peroorkada Government hospital by Law Minister M. Vijayakumar.

As part of the programme, Di ethyl carbamazine citrate (DEC) and Albendazole tablets will be distributed to households by trained health workers and volunteers.

Lymphatic filariasis is a disease transmitted by Culex and Monsonia species of mosquitoes and while it is not fatal, it can result in life-long morbidity. The causative organism, microfilaria, can lodge in a person’s body for a long time before the symptoms actually manifest as elephentiasis of the limbs.

MDA over a consecutive period of five years, with sufficient drug ‘coverage,’ ensures a break in the transmission cycle of the parasite. The programme is a WHO-endorsed strategy to eliminate filariasis by 2015. The district health administration has said MDA, using DEC and Albendazole tablets, is very much safe but that care should be taken that the tablets are taken only after food.

Children below two years, pregnant women, very sick or the elderly may avoid taking the medicine. Mild fever, which might occur after taking the medicine, is a sign that the microfilaria lodged in the body has been destroyed. In the district, 32,20,677 persons would be distributed the anti-filariasis drug. About 16,000 health volunteers have been trained and each volunteer is expected to cover 50 houses. Booths distributing the medicine will function at railway stations, bus stations and other prominent public points. Central and State officials will be monitoring the programme implementation. For coordination and supervision of the programme at the block-municipal and corporation levels, the district has been divided into two zones under two Deputy District Medical Officers and 12 district-level officials.

A coordination committee headed by the District Collector is monitoring MDA implementation in the district.

A control cell has been opened at the DMO’s office. The telephone numbers are 2471291/2790828. Mop-up rounds will be held on November 16 and 17.

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