| Australian Doctors International is coordinating a vital five-year MDA program in two regions of the North Fly District, Western Province, covering a combined population of 19,000 people to eliminate lymphatic filariasis.
PNG has the highest rate of lymphatic filariasis in the world. Microscopic, thread-like filarial worms attack the lymphatic system, causing organ damage, and can lead to elephantiasis - the painful swelling of limbs, breasts and genitals.
Lymphatic filariasis can be controlled by giving people a combined dose of tablets, Albendazole and Diethylcarbamazine (DEC), through mass drug administration programs (MDA) once a year for five years.
ADI has completed the fifth annual round of MDA in Nomad, Middle Fly. The fifth round of MDA is currently underway in the large adjoining Mougulu region, Middle Fly.
Read about Dr. Avik Majumdar and Katrina Pirie's patrol to administer the fifth annual round of MDA in Nomad in mid-2009 here.
The expansion of our MDA program to the rest of the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga in North Fly is on hold while we await the results of a government proposal to add DEC to packets of cooking salt as an alternative to annually administered MDA.
“ADI has been helping to gather salt retail statistics to help the government assess the viability of their proposed program,” said George McLelland, Manager of the program.
The idea is that people will consume small amounts of DEC on a daily basis in their food, which would eliminate the need for annual administration of the drug.
To date, despite enquiries, we are still waiting for updated information about this mooted switch.
Further information about filariasis
- Global Alliance to Eliminate Lyphatic Filariasis website
- World Health Organisation website
- "Socio-cultural insights and lymphatic filariasis control – lessons from the Pacific" (2007) article
- "Evaluation of the Lymphatic Filariasis Control Program, Samarai Murua District, Papua New Guinea" (2005) article
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