Ranchi, February 10 A 16-day mass drug administration (MDA) campaign to eliminate lymphatic filariasis was launched in 14 districts of Jharkhand on Tuesday, with the aim of making the state free from the disease by 2029, an official said.
The campaign will be conducted from February 10 to February 25 in Ranchi, Bokaro, Deoghar, Dhanbad, East Singhbhum, Garhwa, Giridih, Gumla, Ramgarh, Sahibganj, Lohardaga, Koderma, Pakur, and Simdega.
Lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis, is an infectious disease that typically spreads through mosquito bites. It can lead to fluid retention and disfigurement.
State Programme Officer (Vector-Borne Disease) Dr. Birendra Kumar Singh said that health workers will administer anti-filariasis drugs to eligible beneficiaries through booths and door-to-door visits. Children under two years of age, pregnant women, and seriously ill persons will be excluded from the campaign, he said.
Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari has said that the state has set a target to eliminate filariasis by 2029.
In Ranchi, drugs will be administered at 619 booths or camps set up in four affected blocks – Rahe, Sonahatu, Tamar, and Kanke, Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri said in a statement.
A total population of 4,91,014 has been identified for administration of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and albendazole, it said.
The drive is being carried out in these four blocks following detection of filariasis cases during a recent transmission assessment survey, an official said.