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Free drugs distributed to combat lymphatic filariasis in NTT
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Fighting filariasis -- The East Manggarai administration distributes 274,000 anti-filarial drugs to 249,478 people across the regency during the national filariasis elimination program. The number of drugs distributed is considered small compared to the number of people at risk of suffering from the disease. (JP/Markus Makur)
M
ass drug administration has been conducted to combat lymphatic filariasis in East Manggarai regency, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), one of the vector-borne diseases endemic to areas in Indonesia, a health official has said.
The East Manggarai Health Agency’s disease control and prevention and environmental health program (P3PL) head, Regina Malon, said thousands of residents age 2 to 70 in the regency would receive anti-filarial drugs during this year’s national filariasis elimination program.
“Throughout October, health workers from several community health centers (Puskesmas) will give anti-filarial drugs to people across the area,” she said on Wednesday.
East Manggarai regent Yoseph Tote launched the filariasis elimination program for the regency on Oct.10.
Regina explained the result of a blood examination in 2015 showed 256 people in northern areas of East Manggarai suffering from lymphatic filariasis.
“Filariasis is endemic in eight areas across East Manggrai, including Borong, Dampek, Elar, Mok, Pota, Tilir, Waelengga and Wukir. The mass drug administration will be focus on those eight areas,” she said.
Regina said her agency would distribute 274,000 anti-filarial drugs to 249,478 people.
East Manggarai is one of 13 regencies endemic to filariasis in NTT. The other 12 are Bajawa, Central Sumba, Ende, Lembata, Manggarai, Nagekeo, Rote Ndao, Sikka, South Central Timor (TTS), Southwest Sumba, Sumba and West Manggarai.
“The filariasis prevention program will be conducted for five years from October 2016 to October 2020,” said Regina.
Tote said the filariasis elimination program was a UN program. “We provide anti-filarial drugs to prevent and cure the disease.” The goal is for East Manggarai to be filariasis free by 2020. (ebf)
