Capiz gears up for filariasis mass treatment
ROXAS CITY – An orientation and strategic planning was conducted by the Provincial Filariasis Elimination Task Force committee on information education campaign and advocacy last September 4 to plan out activities for the filariasis massive treatment in November.
The upcoming activity is in support to President Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo’s Executive order No. 369 which declared the month of November as mass treatment period for filariasis in established endemic areas.
“Capiz was declared by the Department of Health (DOH) as the 41st endemic province in the country early this year,” said Provincial Health Officer II Jarvis O. Punsalan.
He added that a lot has to be done to reach out to every household before the administration of free mass drug treatment to ensure that 85 percent of Capiceños aged 2 years and older are covered by the campaign.
The medicines for the month-long treatment that will be provided by the DOH and are expected to be available at the Provincial Health Office (PHO) in October.
The DOH and provincial health authorities have conducted a selective treatment of 41 filariasis victims from the various barangays of Tapaz in November 2008 as among the succeeding actions following the first ever documented filariasis cases in the province during a September 2008 survey.
A province-wide random deformity survey was also taken by the PHO in coordination with the Rural Health Units (RHU) to identify and document possible filariasis cases in other towns.
Filariasis is a disease caused by worms transmitted to humans through bites of infected female mosquitoes. It may manifest as recurrent fever, enlarged lymph nodes, and urine with color similar to rice washing.
“If not treated, the disease can lead to enlargement of the thigh, leg, breast or scrotum,” said PHO Medical Specialist IV Evelyn T. Bolido.
Taking the medicines will stop the progression of the disease and prevent its transmission to others, she noted. (PIA/A.Lumaque)