Under the National Filariasis Elimination Program, Mass Drug Administration rounds will commence in 27 out of 50 districts in Uttar Pradesh from August 10.

The programmee would be launched in
Districts including Auraiya, Bahraich, Balrampur, Basti, Deoria, Etawah, Farukhabad, Ghazipur, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Kannauj, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Rae Bareilly, Santakbir Nagar, Shravasti, Siddharthnagar, and Sultanpur, where two drugs – D.E.C. and Albandazole will be administered.

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While in a Chandauli, Fatehpur, Hardoi, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Kaushambi, Kheri, Mirzapur, Sitapur and Hardoi districts authorities will administer three drugs – D.E.C. with Albandazole and Ivermectin.

A media workshop was conducted by the UP Department of Medical and Health, in partnership with Global Health Strategies and key partner organizations like World Health Organization, PATH, Project Concern International, and CFAR here on Tuesday.

The workshop aimed to highlight the significant role of the media in the Filaria elimination program.

Dr Bhanu Pratap Singh Kalyani, Additional Director of Vector Borne Disease at the Medical and Health Department of Uttar Pradesh, highlighted the potential to eliminate filaria from the state.

He emphasized that this illness, caused by mosquito bites, can harm the lymphatic system and lead to abnormal swelling if not prevented.

Chronic conditions like hydrocele (swelling of the scrotum), lymphedema (organ swelling), and chyluria (milky white urine) can be socially burdensome, impacting people’s ability to work and sustain their lives.

Dr Kalyani explained that during the MDA campaign, trained health workers will administer anti-filarial medicines to people across all classes without any cost.This will be done through door-to-door visits and booths. He also clarified that these medicines should not be taken on an empty stomach.

Dr VP Singh, State Program Officer, shared important details about the MDA campaign. He mentioned that children under two years old, pregnant women, and seriously ill individuals should not take these medicines.

Anuj Ghosh from Global Health Strategies underscored the crucial contribution of the media in effectively executing the government’s program.