Jamshedpur: The anti-filariasis campaign in East Singhbhum district has been extended till 10th March to ensure that no household is left out. The District Deputy Commissioner, Ananya Mittal, emphasized the importance of the campaign, urging citizens to consume the medicine to eliminate filariasis (elephantiasis) from its roots.
In a review meeting, Mittal assessed the progress of the campaign, which started on 10th February and was initially scheduled to end on 25th February. The meeting was attended by Deputy Development Commissioner Aniket Sachan, Civil Surgeon Dr. Sahir Pal, and other concerned officials.
The campaign aims to cover 18,27,932 people across Bodam, Patamda, Potka, Golmuri, Jugsalai, and the entire urban area of East Singhbhum. A joint team from the Health Department, Social Welfare Department, and five NGOs is conducting door-to-door distribution of Albendazole and DEC medicines, ensuring that people consume them on the spot.
The District Magistrate instructed officials to make the campaign more comprehensive by raising awareness about the dangers of filariasis and the consequences of not taking the medicine. He directed the teams to engage with residential societies and ensure that people consume the medicine through effective awareness campaigns.
In rural areas, the officials were instructed to distribute the medicine at the workplaces of people engaged in activities like brick kilns and farming, ensuring maximum coverage. Additionally, monitoring teams were activated to conduct surprise inspections to check if the medicines were being distributed effectively.
The District Magistrate highlighted that the success of the campaign depends on public participation. He urged civil society, social and cultural organizations, business groups, and press representatives to motivate people to take the medicines, ensuring the complete eradication of filariasis from the district.
Filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is caused by mosquito bites and is the second most disabling and deforming disease worldwide. It mainly affects the legs, hands, breasts, and hydrocele, leading to swelling and disability. Infection mostly occurs in childhood, but symptoms appear 5 to 15 years later. Treatment for hydrocele is possible if detected early, but swelling in other body parts is usually incurable. People affected by filariasis need care and compassion and should not be stigmatized by society. All 4 crore people in Jharkhand are at risk of contracting filariasis.
With the mop-up date extended till 10th March, the administration has urged all eligible people who missed the initial distribution to consume the Albendazole and DEC medicines during the door-to-door distribution drive.
