BHUBANESWAR:In a bid to eliminate filariasis, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will launch a three-day ‘Mass Drug Administration’ (MDA) drive in the Capital from Wednesday.
It has been targeted to distribute free medicines among 8,71,633 people from all 67 Wards in the City under the drive that will continue till September 28. A dose of Diethyl Carbamazine Citrate (DEC) and Albendazone tablets will be given to people except children below two years of age, pregnant women, the elderly and those with comorbidities, BMC officials said.
Additional District Medical Officer for Public Health (Urban) Dr Urmila Mishra said Lymphatic Filariasis leads to chronic conditions like lymphoedema (tissue swelling) or elephantiasis (skin/tissue thickening) of limbs and hydrocele (scrotal swelling). Such body deformities usually lead to social stigma, loss of mental health and increased medical expenses for patients and their caretakers.
“As the disease is transmitted by a vector called Culex mosquito and the incubation is not easily traced, mass drug administration is the way to prevent future infection and aggravation,” Dr Mishra said. The civic body officials informed that 180 supervisors will be engaged in the drive.