Under the National Filaria Elimination Programme, the Uttar Pradesh government will start a Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programme on August 10.

The programme will involve administering two drugs (DEC and Albendazole) in 17 filaria-affected districts, namely Auraiya, Bahraich, Balrampur, Basti, Etawah, Farrukhabad, Ghazipur, Gonda, Deoria, Gorakhpur, Kannauj, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Shravasti, Siddharthnagar, and Sultanpur. In 10 additional districts, namely Sitapur, Rae Bareli, Mirzapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Kaushambi, Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Fatehpur, Chandauli, and Hardoi, the programme will use three drugs — DEC, Albendazole, and Ivermectin.

A state-level media workshop was organised in Lucknow on Tuesday to discuss the active and important role of the media in the Filaria Elimination Programme. The event was organised by the Department of Medical and Health, Uttar Pradesh, and Global Health Strategies, along with other supporting organisations like the World Health Organization, PATH, Project Concern International, and CFAR.

Dr RP Singh Suman, Director of Communicable Diseases, Department of Medical and Health, UP, stated that a total of 61,512 teams have been deployed for the upcoming MDA programme starting from August 10. These teams, consisting of 1,23,024 trained health workers (one male and one female health worker per team), will administer anti-filarial drugs to eligible beneficiaries.

He emphasised the crucial role of community participation in the success of this programme, as the threat of filariasis affects everyone, making its elimination a moral and collective responsibility.

Dr AK Chaudhary, State Programme Officer for Filariasis, explained that during the MDA, children under 2 years old, pregnant women, and severely ill individuals will not be given these drugs. Dr Singh mentioned that the Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention (MMDP) programme provides proper care for those infected with lymphedema and treatment for hydrocele patients.

He reassured that anti-filaria drugs are completely safe, even for individuals with conditions like hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, or other common ailments.

“Normal individuals do not experience any adverse effects from these drugs. If someone feels nauseous, dizzy, itchy, or queasy after taking the medication, it indicates the presence of filarial parasites in their body, which will be eliminated by the medication. Rapid response teams will be deployed in every block to address any issues that may arise after taking the medication,” he said.

He also highlighted that if everyone in the community takes anti-filaria drugs once a year continuously for 5 years, they can remain protected from filariasis permanently. Trained health workers will administer the prescribed doses of anti-filaria drugs to around 67 million beneficiaries from all sections of society at booths and through door-to-door reach. These drugs should not be taken on an empty stomach.

Dr Rajendra Chaudhary, Joint Director, Filaria, Department of Medical and Health, Uttar Pradesh, described filariasis or elephantiasis as a serious public health problem. This disease spreads through infected mosquito bites.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), filariasis is one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide. This infection, usually contracted in childhood, damages the lymphatic system and, if not prevented, causes abnormal swelling in body parts. People suffering from chronic conditions such as hydrocele (swelling of the scrotum), lymphedema (swelling of limbs), and chyluria (milky white urine) due to filariasis often face social stigma, affecting their livelihood and ability to work.