Over 7 lakh to be covered in drive against filariasis

Bhubaneswar: As many as 7.4 lakh people will be covered in the 10-day-long mass drug administration (MDA) programme aimed at eradicating filariasis beginning from Tuesday, health officials said on Sunday.

Director of public health Nilakantha Mishra said that Odisha recorded a decline in filariasis cases, attributing the improvement to sustained surveillance and periodic drug distribution drives. The upcoming MDA round aims to further reduce transmission and move towards elimination of the mosquito-borne disease.


Under the programme, eligible residents in identified areas will be administered DEC, Albendazole and Ivermectin tablets as per national guidelines. Around 2,200 health workers and field teams will conduct door-to-door distribution and 210 observers will supervise consumption to ensure compliance, officials said. The campaign will focus on reaching vulnerable populations in Balangir, Bargarh, Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Ganjam districts and ensuring that the maximum number of beneficiaries complete the prescribed dosage.

Mishra added that filariasis, also known as lymphatic filariasis, is caused by parasitic worms transmitted through mosquito bites. The disease can lead to chronic swelling of limbs and other complications if left untreated. Public health authorities-run MDA campaigns act as a key strategy to interrupt transmission by reducing the parasite load in the community, he said.

Officials said preparations were made for drug supply, logistics and deployment of frontline workers. Awareness activities are also being carried out to inform communities about the benefits of taking the medicines and to address misconceptions that often affect participation in such drives.

Mishra said the state’s declining trend in cases indicates progress, but stressed that continued participation in MDA rounds remains essential to achieve elimination targets. Health authorities urged residents in the targeted areas to cooperate with field teams and take the medicines when offered, unless advised otherwise by medical personnel.

The MDA programme is part of the broader public health effort to control and eliminate vector-borne diseases through preventive medication, community engagement and monitoring. Officials said the campaign’s coverage and outcomes will be reviewed after completion to assess progress and plan subsequent interventions.