The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare on 10th February 2025 launched the Annual Nationwide Mass Drug Administration (MDA) Campaign for the elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (LF).
About MDA campaign
- The MDA campaign, which targets 111 endemic districts across 13 states, involves a door-to-door administration of filaria prevention medications.
- The states that participated in the event included Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, with each health minister emphasizing the importance of the campaign in their respective regions.
About Lymphatic filariasis
- Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a painful and disfiguring disease. It is caused by infection with parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filariodidea that are transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitos.
- LF, commonly referred to as “Hathi Paon,” is a debilitating disease that can cause severe physical disabilities, such as swelling of the limbs and scrotal swelling, which places a significant burden on affected individuals and families.
- The MDA campaign, led by the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC), is designed to address this issue by providing free anti-filarial medications to over 17.5 crore people across the endemic regions.
