BARDIYA, JANUARY 10

The anti-elephantiasis campaign implemented with the target of eradicating the disease from Nepal by 2020 is running in 13 districts now.

The campaign had initially been implemented in 61 districts in the year 2003.

However, health experts are expressing dissatisfaction with the results.

There is widespread doubt about the efficacy of the drug, which has compromised the target of eliminating the disease by the stipulated deadline. As the prevalence of cases of the disease continues unabated, District Health Office is planning to run a campaign to administer drugs for filariasis in the second week of March. This will be the 10th phase of anti-filariasis campaign in the district this year.

According to District Health Office Chief Gokarna Giri, the drug will be administered to people at designated health booths on the first day and will be distributed to people at their homes on the second and third days.

“As most people are still unaware of the anti-filariasis drug, it has been one of the chief reasons why the disease has not been eradicated,” Giri said.

Experts have advised people to keep their surroundings neat and clean, adopt necessary measures to avoid mosquitos and have their blood tested if they have swelling in any part of their body. The disease can be caused through the bites of a female mosquito infected by the parasite.

In case of filariasis, the disease can be eradicated only if there is the presence of below 1 per cent parasite responsible for causing the disease during the test. Given the fact that the disease is still being reported in some 13 districts, there is now a modified target of eradicating the disease by 2030.