LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Deoghar, Feb 23: The official data issued by the health department has shown that Deoghar has 6,615 filariasis patients. Although the number of patients in the last two years has been trending lower than before the situation is still highly alarming.
Notably, West Singhbhum has the second-highest number of patients with filariasis (5421) followed by Seraikela Kharsawan (5066), Dhanbad (4302) and Dumka (4270).
Even though the health department is taking this extremely seriously and there is a national programme for mass drug distribution, the situation in Deoghar is different.
Talking to Lagatar24.com, Dr Ganesh, Head of the district program admitted that they have been facing a reluctant attitude from people in Deoghar as some communities are not ready to take drugs.
He says that a number of people are not ready to take drugs from health workers but it is not possible and practical for doctors to go to every door.
Due to the unawareness, the program has not been keeping pace and faces a different challenge, he says.
However, he admits that after taking drugs some people have a headache and nausea but it is a good sign as it confirms that the medicine is working on the patient.
Notably, if the drugs are taken at regular intervals for the next 5 to 7 years, parasites are washed out from the body.
Dr Ganesh admits, “unless we break the chain to uproot the disease, it is a big challenge.”
As a matter of fact, Quelex mosquitoes are responsible for Filaria and these mosquitoes germinate easily in lodged water. The disease is transmitted from one to another through mosquitoes. The disease is transmitted to even newly born babies or children through mosquitoes but it becomes visible after some years.
Notably, not only India but 83 countries of the world are affected by filariasis.
