Bhubaneswar: With an aim to make Odisha filaria free, the State government has asked Collectors of six districts to implement Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programme scheduled to be conducted in February.
Health and Family Welfare Secretary Aswathy S has recently written a letter to the Collectors of Bolangir, Cuttack, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nayagarh and Rayagada to ensure proper implementation of the MDA scheduled to be conducted from February 10 to 19.
Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a mosquito borne infectious disease caused by filarial parasites. LF is a disfiguring and debilitating disease. The disease causes social stigma and economic deprivation. The affected individuals and families suffer from consequences of chronic and acute disease conditions and loss of work and employment opportunities.
In view of Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (ELF), MDA programme has been conducted regularly since the year 2004 in light of the National Goal for elimination of LF.
Accordingly, in continuation of ELF activities, the MDA programme is scheduled to be conducted from 10th to 19th February 2025 coinciding with the 1st round of National De-Worming (NDD) Programme in the six districts. Aswathy said.
Like last year, triple drug therapy, Albendazole and lvermectine will be administered in the district of Bolangir, Kalahandi & Rayagada and two drug therapy DEC & Albendazole will be administered in Kandhamal, Cuttack & Nayagarh districts as per new strategy to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, she pointed out.
“To attain the goal of elimination of lymphatic filariasis collaborative efforts and mobilization of all available resources are essential,” she said.
Further, she said, there is a need for proper planning, inter-sectoral coordination, effective implementation, quality monitoring and supervision. Under such circumstances emphasis needs to be given to all the high risk areas and ensure all target populations consume medicine under direct supervision of the drug administrator (DA).
As part of the programme, the Health Department has roped in all line Departments, Forest and Environment, Revenue & Disaster Management, School & Mass Education, Women & Child Development, Mission Shakti, Rural Development, ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare, Housing and Urban Development, industry, Steel & Mines and Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water to facilitate the health staff in drug administration.
The Health Secretary has also written letters to the Secretaries of the above department seeking their support for administration of the drugs.
The Collectors of the six districts have been asked to hold the District Level Coordination meeting, City Level Coordination meetings and Block Level Coordination are conducted in time involving all other departments to strengthen intersectoral coordination both at district, city and block level.
They were asked to give appropriate directives to the line Departments in their district to actively participate in the forthcoming MDA programme.
The Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM & PHO) is the implementing authority in the district with the support of the NVBDCP wing.