Ganjam plans special drive to battle filaria menace
Hrusikesh Mohanty | TNN | Feb 5, 2019, 23:12 ISTBerhampur: The prevalence of microfilaria in Ganjam district is higher than the state average despite an ambitious National Filaria Control Programme (NFCP) being launched in the district 15 years ago to eliminate the disease.
The prevalence rate (calculated per 100 population) of filaria was 1.14 per 100 in Ganjam as against the state average of 0.36, official sources said here on Tuesday. The figures are also higher than the state average in Angul, Bhadrak and Nayagarh districts, sources said.
The government will launch the mass drug administration (MDA) programme in all four vulnerable districts, including Ganjam, from Friday for three days to elimination lymphatic filariasis in the state, said district malaria officer (Ganjam) R Jagadeesh Patnaik here on Tuesday.
The prevalence of filaria is more in Ganjam district’s Belaguntha, Bhatakamarada and Sheragada areas. But Patnaik said the rate of prevalence is gradually decreasing after introduction of MDA. The microfilaria rate in Ganjam has reduced from 5.9% in 2004 to the current 1.14%, he stated.
He said the MDA programme will be executed to distribute drugs like DEC and Altherdazale to people above two years of age in the district under NFCP. The MDA was launched in 20 out of 30 districts in 2004.
Like the previous years, the DMO said this year the district administration is all set to distribute drugs among the targeted people. Under this programme, over 35.37 lakh beneficiaries, except pregnant women, children below two years of age and seriously ill people will be administrated the drug, he said.
Around 7,050 drug distributors, including ASHA, health workers and supervisors are engaged in the programme, he said. All urban and rural areas in 22 blocks would be covered, he said. More emphasis would be laid on pockets where the prevalence rate is higher, he added.
He said though filaria is a non-fatal disease, it is a huge public health problem in the state next to malaria and tuberculosis. It causes disability and imposes severe socio-economic burden, he added.
The prevalence rate (calculated per 100 population) of filaria was 1.14 per 100 in Ganjam as against the state average of 0.36, official sources said here on Tuesday. The figures are also higher than the state average in Angul, Bhadrak and Nayagarh districts, sources said.
The government will launch the mass drug administration (MDA) programme in all four vulnerable districts, including Ganjam, from Friday for three days to elimination lymphatic filariasis in the state, said district malaria officer (Ganjam) R Jagadeesh Patnaik here on Tuesday.
The prevalence of filaria is more in Ganjam district’s Belaguntha, Bhatakamarada and Sheragada areas. But Patnaik said the rate of prevalence is gradually decreasing after introduction of MDA. The microfilaria rate in Ganjam has reduced from 5.9% in 2004 to the current 1.14%, he stated.
He said the MDA programme will be executed to distribute drugs like DEC and Altherdazale to people above two years of age in the district under NFCP. The MDA was launched in 20 out of 30 districts in 2004.
Like the previous years, the DMO said this year the district administration is all set to distribute drugs among the targeted people. Under this programme, over 35.37 lakh beneficiaries, except pregnant women, children below two years of age and seriously ill people will be administrated the drug, he said.
Around 7,050 drug distributors, including ASHA, health workers and supervisors are engaged in the programme, he said. All urban and rural areas in 22 blocks would be covered, he said. More emphasis would be laid on pockets where the prevalence rate is higher, he added.
He said though filaria is a non-fatal disease, it is a huge public health problem in the state next to malaria and tuberculosis. It causes disability and imposes severe socio-economic burden, he added.
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