Mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis kicks off in Iloilo

ILOILO CITY, Oct. 14 (PNA) – The mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis in Iloilo province kicked off Monday at the new capitol building.

Led by Iloilo Gov. Niel D. Tupas, Sr. and Iloilo Provincial Health Officer Dr. Patricia Grace Trabado, the kick off ceremony for the mass drug administration was held with the ribbon cutting of the fix site established at the ground floor lobby of the capitol.

Trabado said that the Department of Health-Center for Health Development 6 and the local government decided to jointly conduct the month-long mass administration of albendazole and diethylcarbanacine, which are found to be very effective to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, after Iloilo province is among to have the most recent of cases.

The mass drug administration will be held Nov. 15 to reach all the eligibles. Those who are not included in the mass anti-filariasis drug administration are children less than two years old, pregnant women, seriously ill patients and those with heart and kidney disease.

Dr. Trabado said that they already master listed those who are eligible to the mass drug administration.

She said those who would like to avail of the health program but are not included in the master list can just approach the health workers in their barangays.

She said the mass drug administration will be held for five successive years in the province. But she added that Iloilo City residents can also go to the fix site at the capitol to avail the mass drug administration.