Campaign in 10 districts to control elephantiasis

NEPALGUNJ, March 15: The government has planned to administer medicine against elephantiasis in 10 districts in the first phase on March 26 and 27.



A campaign will be launched in Siraha, Dhanusha, Saptari, Okhaldhunga, Bhojpur, Dang, Salyan, Rukum, Rolpa and Banke district in the first round against elephantiasis—hypertrophy of certain body parts (usually legs and scrotum). [break]



Medicine will be distributed in 40 districts, which are at high risk of elephantiasis, in near future, said District Public Health Officer Dhirjung Shah.



The campaign will be conducted for the the next six years and health workers will visit door-to-door to provide medicine, said Shah.



Discussion programs have been organized across the country with a view to create awareness to check transmission of elephantiasis and control the number of patients.



Around 3,000 people are affected by elephantiasis in the country, said Shah.



It has been estimated that Banke district is at the high risk of elephantiasis as 106 (53 percent) out of 200 sample tests conducted a year ago in Rajhena and Bankatawa VDCs were found infected by the disease.



Around 1.04 billion people are said to be at the high risk of this disease in the world elephantiasis, which is found in 83 countries.

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