Lymphatic Filariasis
WHY IN NEWS ?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Lao People’s Democratic Republic will become the second country in 2023 after Bangladesh to eliminate lymphatic filariasis.
What is Lymphatic Filariasis?
- Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic infection which is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes.
- This impacts millions of individuals in tropical and subtropical regions across the globe.
- These patients are not only physically disabled but suffer mental, social, and financial losses contributing to stigma and poverty.
- Lymphatic filariasis can be eliminated by stopping the spread of infection through preventive chemotherapy with safe medicine combinations repeated annually.
- The campaign will focus on intensive monitoring at the block level. Education institutions, offices, banks, industries, and other congregated areas will be covered followed by door-to-door visits by ASHAs and para-medical staff.
There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial worms:
- Wuchereria bancrofti, which is responsible for 90% of the cases,
- Brugia malayi, which causes most of the remainder of the cases,
- Brugia timori, which also causes the disease.
Treatment:
- The World Health Organisation recommended preventive chemotherapy strategy for lymphatic filariasis elimination is mass drug administration (MDA).
- MDA involves administering an annual dose of medicines to the entire at-risk population.
According to the WHO progress report on the disease, Nineteen countries have been able to eliminate this disease.
- Of the 19 countries, 11 belong to the WHO Western Pacific Region (WPR). Lao PDR is 11th country in the WPR region to successfully eliminate LF.
- South-East Asia region: Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
- Africa region:Malawi and Togo
SOURCE – THE HINDU
