GOVERNMENT in collaboration with the End Fund and Unicef will from today roll out a mass drug administration campaign to eliminate the once neglected tropical diseases that include elephantiasis and intestinal worms.
By Phyllis Mbanje
Targeting children aged one year and above and adults, the campaign will be administered at three intervals from July 25-30 for the first round, then September 12-17. The last round will kick off from September 27 to October 1.
The proposed campaigns for the mass treatment of lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) and intestinal worms will be carried out simultaneously and communities were urged to present themselves at the nearest schools, health facilities and designated outreach points for free treatment.
Through a recent (2015) national survey, active infection or prevalence of lymphatic filariasis has been identified in 39 districts of the country.
Soil transmitted helminths which include hookworms, round worms and whipworms were chronic infestations which have contributed to the cause of poverty through impairing cognitive performance and reducing the work capacity of both children and adults.
Over two billion people globally were affected and suffer from soil transmitted helminths or intestinal worms.
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Lymphatic filariasis or elephantiasis, as it is often called, is an infection of the glands caused by tiny worms transmitted from the blood of an infected person to another by common mosquitoes.
Both diseases may present no symptoms, hence everybody with or without symptoms in the targeted districts should come for treatment, and avoid the long term consequences of carrying the parasites.
However, mass drug campaigns have been met with scepticism, especially following a few cases of adverse reactions causing deaths in some cases.
Last year, three children from Mashonaland West and Midlands provinces reportedly succumbed to health complications linked to an anti-bilharzia mass drug immunisation programme run by government.
Three years ago, several schoolchildren fell ill in different parts of the country after some tablets were administered to them during a national treatment programme against bilharzia and intestinal worms.
The Health and Child Care ministry has, however, denied that the complications were related to the immunisation programme, saying all drugs used in the exercise were tested for their efficacy.
