Filaria survey to assess transmission after mass drug distribution

The Health Ministry has initiated a survey as part of the Lymphatic Filariasis National Elimination Programme, to evaluate transmission and other factors following the mass administration campaign.
According to the Ministry, the survey is in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
Throughout the country, two consecutive rounds of Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine and Albendazole (IDA) was used as a triple-drug combination. Until December 5, the Ministry will assess the levels of acceptability, risk perception and participation in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Persons over the age of 20 are eligible to participate. La Parfaite Harmonie and Tuschen in Region Three will run until November 15; along with Lodge, Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke Highway and Plasiance, Region Four.
It is recommended by the World Health Organisation to roll out a mass administration of medicines in countries seeking to eliminate filariasis completely. Guyana would have completed the administration of the first round of pills and this year, the last round was administered to citizens.
For the campaign, training was done for 1400 pill distributors, 170 field officers, 20 regional coordinators, and eight national supervisors spanning 138 health facilities across the country. For those persons who have already contracted filaria, the Ministry was working on treatment to prevent them from developing a disability.
Before the end of the exercise, over 360,000 persons had taken the pills across the country. For Guyana to achieve a filaria elimination certificate, the aim was to achieve 70 per cent coverage.
The disease is caused by three species of thread-like nematode worms, known as filariae – Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and Brugia timori. Male worms range from three to four centimetres in length, and female worms eight to 10 centimetres.
The worms target the lymphatic system, which is an essential component of the body’s immune system as they are essentially a network of nodes and vessels that maintain the delicate fluid balance between blood and body tissues. But when someone is infected, the male and female worms form “nests” together in this vital system.
The World Health Organisation data shows that some 900 million people in 49 different countries are at risk of contracting filaria. In Guyana, 90 per cent of the population was also at risk for contracting the disease. While diethylcarbamazine (DEC)-medicated salt was the first move used by Government to eliminate filariasis, the pills were recommended for its advantage and later implemented by the Ministry. (G12)