Lucknow, Aug 10 (IANS) The Yogi Adityanath government launched a special eradication drive while working on a war footing to make Uttar Pradesh filariasis-free by 2027, an official said on Sunday.

A Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign was launched in 195 blocks of 27 districts in the state on Sunday.

Filariasis is a disease that spreads through the bite of an infected Culex mosquito, producing symptoms like swelling and milky urine that may appear even after 10–15 years after the mosquito bite.

Although filariasis is currently incurable, annual medication given for five years can effectively prevent the onset of the disease.

The MDA campaign will run in districts including Auraiya, Bahraich, Balrampur, Basti, Chandauli, Deoria, Etawah, Farrukhabad, Fatehpur, Ghazipur, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Hardoi, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Kaushambi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Mirzapur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddharthnagar, Sitapur, Shravasti, Raebareli, and Sultanpur, said an official statement.

Launching the campaign, public representatives in 27 districts consumed the medicine for filariasis, it said.

Understanding the importance of community participation, the Yogi government has planned a collaborative effort involving multiple departments. The State Rural Livelihood Mission, Education Department, Panchayati Raj Department, and Food and Civil Supplies Department are working together with the Health Department to ensure widespread public cooperation and the ultimate success of the MDA campaign.

At the launch of the MDA campaign, Dr. Pinky Jowel, Mission Director, National Health Mission, said that continuous monitoring is being done to ensure the campaign’s success, in line with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision.

The drive aims to follow national health standards and achieve its objective effectively, said Jowel.

Additionally, the Mission Director has also provided detailed guidelines and protocols to all the departments participating in the campaign. These guidelines have been prepared to ensure an integrated and consistent approach during the implementation of the campaign, said the statement.

A key aspect of the public participation strategy is involving women from self-help groups, who will play a vital role in addressing any public concerns or doubts regarding the safety and effectiveness of the medication.

The Education Department is actively contributing to this campaign by raising awareness through various school-based activities.

Teachers will play an important role in educating students about the prevention of filariasis. Teachers will brief students on filariasis prevention during daily prayer assemblies, said the statement.

Additionally, the Food and Civil Supplies Department is also actively involved in disseminating important information about the campaign. The information will be strategically shared at ration shops to ensure that it reaches a large section of the population.

The Principal Secretary, Health, emphasised the campaign’s importance as a key step against filariasis. He said that the success of the campaign depends on broad public participation and cooperation.

To successfully conduct the drive, over 35,483 drug administrators (DAs) and 7,096 supervisors have been deployed on the ground. Information and communication technology equipment has been sent to 195 blocks and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

–IANS

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