Aiming to eliminate filariasis, a three-day ‘Mass Drug Administration’ (MDA) programme was launched across Bokaro district on Monday.
local MlA Biranchi Narayan and Bokaro Deputy Commissioner MK Baranwal inaugurated the programme by self-administrating the drug and distributing the single dose of DEC and Albendazole tablets among the people.
With a target to administrate drugs (DEC tablets) free among 21 lakhs (21,08,916) people, this programme will be continued until April 4, informed district Malaria Officer, AK Poddar.
As part of the programme, a dose of Diethyl Carbamazine Citrate (DEC) and Albendazole tablets are to be administered to everyone, excluding children below two years, pregnant women and the elderly or those with various co-morbidities, he said.
“If the target will not achieve within the scheduled date then we will extend out the programme for more days to complete the population. District health department also decided to conduct Mop up Round in which left – out villagers would be administrated the drugs,” he added. Earlier this programme was scheduled to start on 22 March but later extended due to some technical reasons, he said.
“Under the war level mission for the prevention of filarial disease ‘Mass drug Administration’ programme would be launched across the district. “Though identification work will continue to help out the filarial patients be giving them free medicines in form of ‘DEC’ tablets which helps to suffering patients from the pain and woes of the disease,” said Poddar.
Under this programme medicines were freely distributed, our volunteers will move door-to-door to ensure that none would be left from the drug administration. There are strong growths in the number of filarial patients this year. As per our record, we have recognized 1004 filarial hydrocele patients and 396 lymphatic filariasis patients across the district this yare, he said.
In 2012 only 350 filaria patients were recognized in the district includes 310 of lymphatic filariasis patients whereas the rest 40 have filarial hydrocele.
Despite MDA programme this year, the number of filarial patients was recognized as double than past. Earlier in the year 2008, there were 7200 filaria patients in Bokaro district; 5732 were of lymphatic filariasis patients whereas the rest 1529 were filarial hydrocele patients, official sources informed.
lymphatic filariasis is a disease transmitted by Culex and Monsonia species of mosquitoes. Though 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 elephantiasis of the limbs. “MDA is safe but care should be taken that the tablets were taken only after food. Mild fever which might occur after taking the medicine is a sign that the microfilaria lodged in the body has been destroyed,” said a district health administration official.