Around 24 lakh were given triple drug therapy in Nagpur division
These were the only four districts in the entire state which had reported an increase. As part of the nationwide campaign, IDA Mass Drug Administration was conducted under the Assistant Director of Health Services (Malaria and Filariasis) Office, Nagpur Circle from February 10 to March 3.
Nagpur: In Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli, Gondia, Chandrapur, and Bhandara districts, about 24 lakh people of different age groups have been given triple-drug therapy. Including ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, albendazole (IDA). WHEREAS an increase of more than about 1% has been observed in randomly collected samples of people with the microfilariae parasite, which causes lymphatic filariasis, Also known as elephantiasis.
These were the only four districts in the entire state which had reported an increase. As part of the nationwide campaign, IDA Mass Drug Administration was conducted under the Assistant Director of Health Services (Malaria and Filariasis) Office, Nagpur Circle from February 10 to March 3.
The campaign focused on those blocks in these four districts where the positivity rate of the parasite was high. The division recorded 23,330 filariasis and 5,717 hydrocele cases in 2022 in Nagpur, Gondia, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Wardha, and Bhandara.
Fresh cases were also detected during the annual detection drive in the month of August last year. Fresh cases in Nagpur and Wardha have not raised alarm and are said to be under control. These cases include much older patients who are also on record from 2002. Mass Drug Administration (MDA) had been started in 88 districts of eight states. Maharashtra came second with four districts while most of the districts covered were from Bihar (24).
Strict instructions have been given to these field workers
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, UP, and West Bengal were the other states where the campaign had started in this period. In Maharashtra, 16 blocks had been selected for the drive.
The combined population of 16 blocks is 26.18 lakh while 24.34 lakhs were eligible for IDAMDA. Of these, 23,94,377 people have been covered by ASHA workers and multi-purpose health workers. A total of 1,184 adverse events have also been reported following treatment, Official statistics show.
Dr. Shyam Nimgade, Assistant Director of Health Services (Malaria and Filaria), has also told that 10472 drug administrators are also posted under 1039 supervisors in four districts. Strict instructions have been given to these field workers to ensure that the beneficiaries take medicines on the spot. We have also covered schools and shops.” They said.
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