MoH to kick off filaria pill distribution exercise in 2nd quarter of 2024

The Ministry of Health (MoH) is conducting preparatory works for the commencement of its Filaria Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaigns scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2024.
The activity, which will play a crucial role in ensuring Guyana stays on course to eliminate filaria as a public health issue by 2026, will see several teams going house-to-house to distribute the medicine.
According to a report issued by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) in 2022, approximately 500,000 Guyanese are at risk for the disease.
Additionally, a survey conducted by the Health Ministry revealed that nine of Guyana’s 10 administrative regions are endemic, especially Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Through the Filaria MDA campaign, efforts will be made to have at least 70 per cent of the population consume ‘filaria pills’ – Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC), Albendazole (ALB) and Ivermectin (IVM) – to sterilise and kill the worms that cause the disease.
During MoH’s televised programme “Health Matters”, National Coordinator of the Neglected Infectious Diseases Programme, Dr Annastacia Sampson disclosed that the Ministry was currently acquiring the medicine and making other arrangements necessary to ensure the campaign was executed smoothly.

“We are currently in the planning phase of that activity, we’re recruiting personnel to fill the different positions such as Regional Coordinator, National Supervisors, Field Officers and pill distributors. So, we’re planning towards implementation of NDA 2024,” Dr Sampson stated.
The general public is urged to monitor the Ministry’s Facebook page for release dates for their respective communities.
On this point, Dr Sampson reminded that the number of tablets varies per age, and would not be administered to pregnant women and children below the age of two.
Further, an individual requires five annual doses of the pills before they become immune to the mosquito-borne disease.
“If you are in your early stages the most common way of preventing it is by taking your filaria pills, this is recommended by the World Health Organisation as a preventative measure, to take your pills whenever there is filaria distribution within your area… and when we do have campaigns, you know our pill distributors, they walk about… they go door to door and even visit schools,” Dr Sampson related.

Filariasis
Filariasis is a tropical disease caused by parasitic worms that are spread through mosquito bites. The skin gets thick and hard, resembling an elephant’s skin. Although medically known as lymphatic filariasis (LF), the term elephantiasis is commonly used because symptoms include swelling and enlargement of the arms and legs.
People living in affected tropical or subtropical areas are most at risk of infection. However, short-term visitors to these regions have a very low risk of getting filaria or related conditions.
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with PAHO launched the MDA campaign in Guyana in 2017.
The countries of the Americas agreed to a collective approach to the elimination of communicable diseases throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The Elimination Initiative identifies a wide range of diseases and related conditions, including lymphatic filariasis, as potential candidates for elimination in the Region, and enables countries to consolidate efforts and resources towards ending these diseases and ensuring public health.
Most people who are infected will not show symptoms, despite damage to the lymph system and kidneys. Those who do get symptoms most commonly experience swelling of the legs, arms, breasts and genitals.
This disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and can be prevented by sleeping under a mosquito net, covering up skin with long sleeves and trousers, using insect repellent and participating in the MDA campaign by taking your filarial pills when visited by healthcare workers.