| Lymphatic Filariasis, commonly known as
Elephantiasis, affects more than a billion people in around 80 countries. More than 33
per cent of individuals infected with this disease live in
India
. Realising
the seriousness of the situation, the Government launched the National Filaria Control Programme (NFCP) in 1955
to eradicate Lymphatic Filariasis and to take steps for the prevention of
this disease in endemic areas.
The main control
measures under the programme were mass administration of DEC (diethylcarbamazine), antilarval measures in urban areas and indoor residual spray in rural areas. After
affecting many changes in the programme during the last four-and-a-half
decades, the country adopted a revised strategy in 1997 for elimination of
Lymphatic Filariasis, with Mass Drug Administration (Diethylcarbamazine or DEC alone) as the primary intervention. A National Filaria Day (NFD) is
observed every year on different dates. In 2005, it was celebrated on 11th
November.
The National Health Policy 2002 aims at complete
elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis by 2015.
For more details click on the
links cited below:
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