Aurangabad: Maharashtra will be the second country after Chhattisgarh to continue the Mass Drugs Administration (MDA) program which was stopped during a pandemic.
Six districts, namely Nanded in Marathwada along with Yavatmal, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gondia, and Gadchiroli Regency in the Vidarbha region will have the MDA program against Filariasis between 1 and 15 July, which includes more than 1 crore people.
Dr Archana Patil, Director of the State of Health Services, on Tuesday, said Maharashtra is committed to ensuring the delivery of the last public health services even during a pandemic.
“We will adopt all innovations needed to provide important services safely under the lymphatic filariasis elimination program.
It is very important that all households in endemic areas receive and consume anti-filaria drugs in the presence of health workers.
This is the only way we can Check Filariasis transmission, “he said at the media sensitization workshop.
Also known as elephantiasis, lymphatic filariasis is considered the most paralyzed disease second after mental health according to WHO.
It was transmitted by infected mosquitoes.
In accordance with official data, Maharashtra has 18 regencies of lymphatic filariasis endemic with almost 31,258 lymphoedema (abnormal swelling in the limbs) and 11,929 hydrocels (scrotum swelling) reported in 2020-21.
Dr.
Sanjeev Jadhav, an additional director of health services, said the unique ‘bowl method’ would be adopted during the MDA to maintain social distance.
“This method involves the use of a separate clean and dry bowl for members of each family to manage tablets.
This will avoid direct contact with beneficiaries and maintain social distance,” he said, adding that such a method was followed in Chhattisgarh during MDA.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope, in the appeal of the video, said the anti-filarial drugs that will be given during the proposed MDA program are fully safe and effective.
“During MDA, trained health workers will take part in the appropriate Covid protocol and make home-to-home visits to provide free anti-filarial drugs to beneficiaries in all communities in affected areas,” he said.