Apr 26, Kathmandu- In order to control Lymphatic filariasis, the government is going to start a general medicine campaign in seven districts from Baisakh 16.

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Health Service Department is going to start a general medicine campaign against elephantiasis in Jhapa, Dhanusha, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Rautahat, Rasuwa and Kapilvastu. The campaign will be conducted for two weeks. According to Ram Kumar Mahato, the focal person of national elephant foot disease prevention, the target is to give medicine against elephant foot disease to 5.1 lakh citizens in 101 municipalities of seven districts.

According to him, in 53 districts, the consumption of common medicines has been stopped as the community-level infection has stopped. A survey is being conducted in four districts after completing the drug consumption program. In the remaining seven districts, because the campaign was not successful, they are going to administer the medicine again, Mahatto said, adding that after 10 months, a study will be conducted on whether the infection has been stopped at the community level.

This year, the government allocated a budget of 12 million rupees for the campaign, and 11 million rupees have already been released to the local bodies. Three different types of medicine are given in common elephantiasis. These include ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine and albendazole. Two drugs called diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and the anti-worm drug 'Albendazole' are administered to kill the parasites in the blood and stomach. The government has been giving these medicines to elephants since 2003 to control the disease, and the goal is to eliminate them completely from Nepal by 2030.