ALAPPUZHA: The decades-long efforts to make Alappuzha district filariasis-free have reached nowhere. With the presence of micro filariasis detected in various parts, the Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC), Pondicherry, one of the permanent institutes of Indian Council of Medical Research, asked the department to continue vector control measures. At least 39 children in the district had tested positive for filariasis in its recent study.
The presence of active cases found after the MDA programme, which was an annual exercise by the district administration, suspended last year in the effort of making the district filariasis transmission free.
Dr K.N. Panicker, an expert in filariasis research who spent over a decade as project director of Massive Filariasis Control Program, claimed that the brugian filariasis was entirely controlled in Cherthala.
“There were two types of filariasis in the state. Brugian filariasis plagued Cherthala taluk while Bancroftian filariasis in the rest India. Among them, Brugian filariasis is more severe causing grotesque elephantiasis.
“In 1986, one out of five people in Cherthala was diseased with filaria. But now anti-filariasis campaign in the state has come a long way. I am worried seeing different claims and counterclaims,” he said.
Dr P. K. Suma, the former superintendent of Medical College Hospital (MCH) here and filariasis expert, says there is nothing to worry about the active cases.
"The main issue is that people are still reluctant to take part in the drug administration programme, letting it spread,” she said.
