Context: 

Recently, the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare launched the Annual Nationwide Mass Drug Administration (MDA) Campaign for Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) Elimination. 

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The campaign covers 111 endemic districts across 13 endemic States with door-to-door administration of filaria prevention medications.

• 13 States: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

This campaign is led by the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. 

Under the campaign, medicines will be made available free of cost to a population of over 17.5 crore across endemic districts.

Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign

The Government launched a nationwide Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign  in 2004 to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (ELF).

The MDA campaign takes place twice a year in 111 districts in 13 states.

The MDA campaign involves the supervised administration of a combination of anti-filarial medicines. The medication regimen includes:

• Double Drug Regimen (DA): Diethylcarbamazine Citrate (DEC) and Albendazole
• Triple Drug Regimen (IDA): Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine Citrate (DEC), and Albendazole

MDA aims to reduce the spread of LF by eliminating the microscopic filarial parasites present in the bloodstream of infected individuals, thus preventing further transmission by mosquitoes. 

The following groups are not suitable for the consumption of the drugs:

• Children below 2 years of age
• Pregnant women
• Seriously ill individuals

Lymphatic Filariasis

It is also known as elephantiasis/Hathi Paon and is a neglected tropical disease.

This infection is caused by parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filariodidea. 

There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial worms:

• Wuchereria bancrofti, which is responsible for 90% of the cases.
• Brugia malayi, which causes most of the remainder of the cases.
• Brugia timori, which also causes the disease.

It is transmitted by different types of mosquitoes like Culex mosquito (urban and semi-urban areas,), Anopheles (rural areas),  Aedes (endemic islands in the Pacific) etc.

It is usually acquired in childhood and causes hidden damage to the lymphatic system and it can lead to the abnormal enlargement of body parts, causing pain, severe disability, and social stigma.

Treatment: It can be eliminated by stopping the spread of infection through preventive chemotherapy with safe medicine combinations repeated annually.

Symptoms: The majority of infections are asymptomatic, showing no external signs of infection while contributing to the transmission of the parasite. 

India’s position on the Lymphatic Filariasis

India is on mission mode to eliminate Filaria by 2027.

India has launched an advanced five-pronged strategy for the elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis by 2027 on 13 January 2023 and one of the important strategies of which is 'Mission Mode India MDA Campaign' National Deworming Day (NDD) celebrated twice a year on 10 February and 10 August.

India contributed the world’s highest LF burden, about 40%. 

India is home to 404 million people of the 657 million population globally threatened by LF.

In 2023, a revised five-pronged strategy was announced by the Indian Health Ministry which included 

• multi-drug administration campaigns
• early diagnosis and treatment
• integrated vector control
• inter-sectoral convergence
• leveraging on existing digital platforms and innovation in LF diagnostics.