Posh areas in city also have filariasis patients - Times of India
Nagpur: While filariasis or elephantiasis is turning endemic in most parts of the country, six tehsils in Nagpur district and five zones in Nagpur city (NMC area) are still having over 1% test positivity rate for this disease. Due to this, Laxmi Nagar, Dhantoli, Dharampeth, Hanuman Nagar, and Nehru Nagar zones in the city will be covered under the triple-drug therapy to control filariasis from May 25.
More than 14 lakh residents of these five zones will be distributed three medicines — Di-ethylcarbamazine Citrate, Albendazole, and Ivermectin tablets. Health workers on duty will request the people to have these tablets in front of them.
Health department has appealed to the people to cooperate and have the medicines as these are completely safe and the only way to protect oneself from elephantiasis. Apart from the five zones in the city, Nagpur (rural), Hingna, Kuhi, Kamptee, Umred, and Bhivapur are also selected for the triple-drug drive.
"We have been working with an aim to eliminate filariasis and the triple-drug therapy is showing good results too. In 2019, we distributed the three drugs in entire Nagpur district. As 2020 was a pandemic year, we could not review the situation. So, we conducted a survey in 2021," said Monica Charmode, district filaria officer of Nagpur. The results were encouraging, she added.
Charmode said Nagpur city was divided into 4 zones and 1,700 children from each zone were tested. Ideally, the positivity rate of microfilariasis should be less than 1% in the population. But, the positivity rate in city's five zones and 6 tehsils was more than 1%.
NMC's health officer Dr Narendra Bahirwar told TOI that highest number of patients — 15 — was found in Nehru Nagar zone. "It was followed by Laxmi Nagar 9, Hanuman Nagar 5, and Dhantoli and Dharampeth zones 2 each. The plan to distribute medicines to every household in these localities is ready," he added.
Apart from these designated areas, the triple-drug therapy is working well in other parts of the district as the overall prevalence of filariasis has come down to 0.02% in 2021. Filariasis cases found in 2014 were 705 after more than 1 lakh suspects were tested. In 2021, only 31 cases were found against a similar number of tests. The percentage of filariasis patients has gone down to 0.02% now.
Community health expert and Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Dr Prakash Deo said private doctors will also be roped in. "These tables have multiple benefits like treating parasitic infections caused by intestinal worms, improvement in nutrition uptake and physical and cognitive development of children. These also cure infections like scabies and lice," he said.
Organizations like Project Concern International and Global Health Strategies are helping the government to implement this drive.
THE LAST PUSH
Campaign to start from May 25 in five zones — Laxmi Nagar, Dhantoli, Dharampeth, Nehru Nagar, and Hanuman Nagar in city
Asha workers, Anganwadi workers, health workers, and NGOs will visit door-to-door
Medicines will be given as per age, height, and medical condition of persons in a family
Doctors have appealed to citizens to cooperate with health workers and take medicines
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