Ranchi: District health department will conduct a mass drug administration (MDA) programme across 619 booths in Ranchi district on Tuesday to mark the formal rollout of the special drive which will run till Feb 25.Tuesday’s drive will cover the blocks of Rahe, Tamar, Sonahatu and Kanke, which are identified as having people affected with filariasis. Under the National Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme, preventive medication will be administered by health workers. Officials said the medicines are completely safe and that regular consumption can provide full protection against the disease.Around 4,91,014 people have been identified as the target population in Ranchi, excluding pregnant women, children below two years of age and persons suffering from serious illnesses. Children aged one to two years will be administered half a tablet of Albendazole.Eligible beneficiaries will be given Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and Albendazole free of cost.Addressing the media, civil surgeon, Dr Prabhat Kumar said, “Those unable to consume the medicine at booths on Tuesday will be covered through door-to-door distribution up to Feb 25. Regular treatment and preventive measures are being intensified under the National Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme to control and eventually eliminate the disease.”At present, 2,887 filariasis patients have been identified. People have been urged to visit their nearest booth on Feb 10 and take the anti-filarial medicine.Ashok Kumar, a resident of Argora, said, “Living with filariasis is painful and limiting. If taking a simple medicine can prevent others from suffering like me, everyone should visit the booth and take the MDA dose.”
