Jhapa, February 8

National Elephantiasis Elimination Programme started in Jhapa with Bhadrapur Municipality Mayor Jivan Kumar Shrestha and Deputy Mayor Chandra Shrestha taking anti-filariasis drug today.

According to Public Health Office Jhapa acting Chief Ishwori Prasad Poudel, the programme has been launched simultaneously in all 15 local bodies.

Besides Jhapa, two other districts, Morang and Dhankuta, in Province-1 are among the total 13 districts across the country where the programme has started concurrently.

“To run the programme, we have deployed some 413 health workers and 200 volunteers in each local body,” Poudel said.

Speaking at a programme held to launch the mass drug administration campaign today amidst the presence of the chiefs of all government offices in the district, Mechi Zonal Hospital Chief Dr Pitambar Thakur said anti-filariasis drug was free from side effect.

“There won’t be any side effect, though a person taking the drug might feel little drowsiness and dizziness for sometimes.”

Bhadrapur Municipality Mayor, on the occasion, urged all to take the drug without any hesitation and help to make the district filariasis-free.

As per the campaign, all but the children below two years old and elderly beyond 70 years of age, chronic patients, new mothers and pregnant women will be given the drug.