Annual Mass Drug Administration Campaign to Eradicate Filariasis by UP

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 02-02-2024

Annual Mass Drug Administration Campaign to Eradicate Filariasis by UP

Uttar Pradesh 4 min read

The Uttar Pradesh government will launch the annual Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign to eradicate filariasis diseases from February 5 to 15.

Annual Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign

The central government aims to eliminate filariasis from the country by 2027. Uttar Pradesh will launch an annual Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign to eliminate filariasis.
Under the mission to eradicate filariasis from the state, a campaign will be conducted in 17 districts of the state.
During the campaign, skilled health workers will go door-to-door and administer the medicine for prevention of filariasis to the entire population.
- With the exception of children under two years of age, pregnant women and people suffering from serious illnesses.
The Chief Minister has appealed to all the residents to actively participate in the campaign during the MDA round.
Symptoms of this serious disease caused by the bite of the Culex mosquito usually appear 5 to 15 years after infection. Symptoms of this disease are hydrocele and swelling of the limbs and breasts.
CM Yogi has also asked everyone to take part in the prevention and elimination of filariasis.
Emphasizing on the safety of the medicine, he termed it as a social necessity and encouraged its consumption even in the absence of symptoms.
Furthermore, he also emphasized that once the disease occurs, the only recourse is to control its irreversible nature.
The government is firm on its commitment, providing training and kits for Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention (MMDP) of filariasis patients.
Thus, taking preventive medication becomes mandatory to prevent the onset of the disease.
The Yogi government remains steadfast in its commitment to the mission of making the state filariasis free.
A key aspect of this initiative includes strict training of community health officers (CHOs) posted at Ayushman Bharat Arogya Mandir (Health and Wellness Centres) to identify filariasis patients.
The Ekikrit Niksha Diwas (END) is observed on 15th of every month in health units. It serves as an important platform for identification of patients with Tuberculosis, Kala-azar and Filaria.
As of June 2023, the state is battling 51 filariasis endemic districts, in which 90,768 lymphatic filariasis and 21,131 hydrocele patients have been identified.

About Filariasis

.Filaria is a disease caused by mosquito-borne parasitic infection.
Chronic infection can cause swelling in the feet and hands.
It is the second largest disease cause of permanent disfigurement and disability worldwide after leprosy.
Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is currently a neglected tropical disease