Triple drug therapy of Ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole (IDA), was given to nearly 24 lakh people of various ages in the Maharashtra districts of Gadchiroli, Gondia, Chandrapur, and Bhandara after samples taken at random revealed an increase of over 1% in the number of people carrying the microfilariae parasite, which causes lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis.

These four districts were the only ones in the state to show an increase. As part of a national campaign, the assistant director of health services (malaria and filaria) office, Nagpur circle, administered IDA drugs in large quantities between February 10 and March 3. The push was concentrated on the areas of these four districts with the highest parasite-positive rates. In 2022, the division identified 23,330 cases of filariasis and 5,717 cases of hydrocele in Nagpur, Gondia, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Wardha, and Bhandara.

Eighty-eight districts across eight states were the first to implement the mass drug administration (MDA). Maharashtra came in second place with four sections. However, the majority of the districts were from Bihar (24). During the yearly detection effort, new cases were found in August of last year.

The other states to launch MDA then were Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, UP, and West Bengal. In Maharashtra, 16 blocks with a total population of 26.18 lakhs and 24.34 lakhs eligible for IDAMDA were selected for the drive. Asha employees and multipurpose healthcare professionals provided care to 23,94,377 individuals, and 1,184 adverse occurrences were documented.

Dr. Shyam Nimgade, assistant director of health services (malaria and filaria), said that 10,472 drug administrators were deployed under 1,039 supervisors in the four districts with stringent invigilation to verify that recipients take the medications on-site.

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/nearly-24-lakh-given-triple-drug-therapy-in-nagpur-division/98474044)