UP’s Mission to Eradicate Filariasis

February 1, 2024

The Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched a mission to eradicate filariasis from the state. As part of this, the government will conduct the Annual Mass Drug Administration (MDA) Campaign from February 5th to 15th, 2024.

What is Filariasis?

Filariasis is a disease caused by parasitic worms transmitted through mosquito bites. It can lead to conditions like swelling of limbs and genitals. The government aims to eliminate this disease from the country by 2027.

Key Details of the MDA Campaign

Duration and Location: The 15-day campaign will cover 17 districts in UP. These are Amethi, Azamgarh, Ballia, Banda, Barabanki, Bareilly, Hamirpur, Jaunpur, Jalaun, Lucknow, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Sonbhadra, Unnao, and Varanasi. Presently, 51 districts in UP are affected by filariasis. The MDA will expand to cover the rest of the districts from August 10, 2024
Target Population: Health workers will go door-to-door to administer preventive medication to all residents except children under 2 years, pregnant women and seriously ill people.

Need for Preventive Efforts

The government has asked people to take the medication even without symptoms. This is important because:

Symptoms can take 5-15 years to show up after infection
Once infected, the disease is irreversible and only management is possible
Preventive efforts can safeguard the next generation

Government’s Commitment

The government is training health workers at primary health centers to identify filariasis patients. It is also tracking and recording data of existing patients in the state. By conducting regular MDA drives, the government aims to completely eliminate the disease by the targeted year.

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