The Lakes State health ministry, with support from an international Christian development organization, Christian Blindness Mission (CBM), over the weekend launched a Must Drug Administration (MDA) for the treatment of Hydrocele and Elephantiasis in Awerial County.
Mass drug administration (MDA) involves giving treatment to every member of a population or every person living in a defined geographical area. It entails giving all eligible people, regardless of whether or not they are infected, the treatment they need. MDAs are vital to help control and eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
The campaign which is targeting 70 percent of the population in six payams will run for five days.
The Awerial county health director, James Manyiel, told Radio Tamazuj that they will use two drugs, Ivermectin and Albendazole, during the mass drug administration against Hydrocele and Elephantiasis and that the exercise is progressing well.
“The vaccinators are doing well in the field across the six payams and they are administering the drugs in the villages,” he said. “Two cases of Elephantiasis were reported in Awerial County. We are targeting about 70 percent of the population to take the drugs which come in tablet form.”
Manyiel said they are targeting people above 5 years but that pregnant women, lactating mothers, and the sick cannot be given the drugs because of side effects.
“We are telling the people of Awerial County that this drug is very important and you need to take it to prevent blindness and Elephantiasis,” he said. “These are two diseases that need to be prevented and we are telling everybody who is eligible and is reached by the vaccinators to take the drug. We are encouraging everyone to take it.”