On Monday, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, JP Nadda called for the implementation of a five-pronged strategy to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) from India by 2027.

Launching the annual nationwide mass drug administration (MDA) campaign for LF Elimination through video-conferencing, he said, “An LF-free India is our commitment, and achieving this goal requires the participation of every citizen and with active community involvement. With a shared sense of responsibility, we can eliminate LF, ensuring protection for crores of people.”

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Nadda said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this campaign would be driven by the spirit of ‘Jan Bhagidari’, turning it into a ‘Jan Andolan’ and with active community participation and a sense of collective ownership, India could eliminate LF, ensuring that millions are protected from this disease.

Noting that LF incapacitates people and deteriorates their quality of life, the Minister called for the implementation of a five-pronged strategy to ensure that the disease is eliminated much ahead of the Sustainable Development Goal of 2030.

Emphasising the importance of ensuring that no one is left out during the MDA campaign which takes place twice a year in 111 districts in 13 states of India, the Minister said, “From February 10 onward, medicines will be made available free of cost to a population of over 17.5 crore across endemic districts. It is imperative that residents in these areas consume the medicines, protecting themselves and their families from this debilitating disease.”

Highlighting the importance of achieving high coverage, Nadda said the endemic districts must ensure that over 90 percent of the eligible population consume anti-filaria medicines.

He urged the states/UTs to monitor the campaign at a state/UT level to ensure early diagnosis of affected people. He also called for the personal involvement of the political and administrative leadership at the identified state/district levels for the same.

Nadda also emphasised the importance of adopting a whole-of-government approach by engaging various ministries and departments to support campaign activities. He highlighted that this integrated approach, coupled with high-level advocacy across allied ministries, would foster intersectoral convergence.