This story is from January 28, 2019

Government initiates effort to boot out filariasis

Government initiates effort to boot out filariasis
Representative image
PUNE: The Union government has initiated the implementation of the WHO-recommended new triple-drug therapy (TDT) across the country’s five select districts, including Nagpur in Maharashtra, to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF), also known as elephantiasis, from the country by 2020.
The triple-drug therapy, or IDA, contains drugs Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and Albendazole.

Besides Nagpur, the new treatment regimen is being rolled-out in a phased manner in four other districts — Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Arwal in Bihar, Yadgir in Karnataka and Simdega in Jharkhand.
Maharashtra has 60,000 patients with filariasis mainly from 11 districts in Vidarbha. Jalgaon, Raigad and Thane also share the disease burden to some extent.
Experts have emphasized on monitoring medication compliance and coverage to eliminate the disease from the country by 2020.
“We aim to administer the drug to over 85% of the population in Nagpur. In the next phase, we will include other endemic districts in the state,” said Prakash Bhoi, joint director of the state health department.
Directly observed treatment (DoT) strategy, as used in the tuberculosis control programme, is also being used to administer the drug. “That means the citizen has to take the drug in front of the health official,” Bhoi explained.

Jitendra Dolare, assistant director of the state health department, said “The TDT was rolled out in Nagpur on January 20. The campaign will continue till January 28. About 48 lakh of 51 lakh population of Nagpur district will be covered during this period.”
Union health minister JP Nadda announced the inclusion of the WHO-recommended TDT to eliminate LF from the country at a meeting held in New Delhi on June 13, 2018.
However, monitoring drug coverage will be crucial, say experts. “Monitoring the process will help plug the gaps in the programme. If required, mopping activities will have to be carried out to achieve the required level of coverage. Monitoring of adverse events can be taken care of through the strong pharmacovigilance network of the government of India,” said senior scientist NK Ganguly, former director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The TDT is more efficacious by clearing microfilariae by about 84%, Ganguly said, adding that two drugs in the existing mass drug administration regimen clear only 62% of the microfilariae. “Further, IDA can sustain the gains achieved in reducing the infection level and prevent further transmission,” he said.
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About the Author
Umesh Isalkar

Umesh Isalkar is principal correspondent at The Times of India, Pune. He has a PG degree in English literature and is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Umesh covers public health, medical issues, bio-medical waste, municipal solid waste management, water and environment. He also covers research in the fields of medicine, cellular biology, virology, microbiology, biotechnology. He loves music and literature.

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