Ministry aims to eliminate filaria by 2022

The Ministry of Public Health says it will be working to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis commonly known as filaria or ‘big foot’ in Guyana by 2022.

GINA reported yesterday that the ministry, through the Vector Control Services Unit will be conducting a one-week training programme for staff of the ministry and from the Ministries of Education and Finance to help them manage a decentralized vector control service.

This is in keeping with the National Plan for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (ELF) as a Public Health problem by 2022.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, speaking at the opening of the Tool for Integrated Planning and Costing (TIPAC ) workshop, said TIPAC offers a better chance at eliminating the neglected tropical disease.

The TIPAC training exercise is being held at the Cara Lodge from January 30 to February 3, 2017

“We are experiencing a deep sense of satisfaction and pleasure to see the Vector Control department of the Ministry of Public Health taking the lead in taking definite steps and ensuring that they build capacity through training of its participants in the proper use of the tool for integrated planning and costing TIPAC,” GINA reported the minister as saying.

Selected and trained pill distributors from various regions are involved in sharing educational information on mass drug administration (MDA) before the exercise commences.

These persons also visit homes and public places to share the tablets diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and albendazole to participating communities during the exercise.

Maria De Jesus, PAHO/WHO Advisor on Neglected Infectious Diseases, told participants that a lot of work still remains to be done.

The upcoming MDA is expected to be a more effective exercise since the TIPAC programme will detail and outline all necessary elements needed to ensure that sufficient coverage is achieved annually in the prevention and elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis.