Filaria drugs like any other have side effects – PAHO/WHO Rep

“Every drug that is used by any human being has side effects,” said Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation [PAHO/WHO] Resident Representative, Dr. William Adu Krow. The PAHO/WHO Representative made this disclosure as he spoke to the side effects related to treatment for lymphatic filariasis [filaria]. At a Ministry of Public Health spearheaded forum, Dr. Adu Krow joined Deputy Chief Medical Officer [DCMO], Dr. Karen Gordon-Campbell, when she revealed that “If you are not actually carrying the filariasis worms then side effects may be minimal.” People, she said, could develop symptoms such as nausea and headaches. However, the DCMO noted if an individual has the filaria worms they may have a little bit more side effects including fever and vomiting by virtue of the worms dying internally. “The side effects are not really severe but you may have more if you actually have the worms, so that may cause a reaction,” said Dr. GordonCampbell. She added, “We do report side effects…We have been gathering information but it is my understanding that not every country has been doing that. Guyana has been lauded for at least taking the time to make sure we do documentation.”

However, Guyana has not seen many cases of side effects, said the DCMO who also asserted that those documented have been very mild so far. Mass Drug Distribution [MDA] filaria campaigns executed in the years 2017 and 2018 saw the Ministry realising 85 and 86 percent coverage respectively. “This was in part due to micro planning and macro planning, a lot of community involvement and multi-sectoral involvement.” Dr. GordonCampbell pointed out that in order for Guyana to reach the WHO recommended 2020 target for elimination of the disease, it would require three more years of MDA using two drug types – 100 mg Diethylcarbamazine [DEC] and 400 mg Albendazole. But according to her, “We don’t have that three year (period). So if we are to reach eligibility for 2020, we have to slightly adjust our strategy. The strategy that we have available to us is to implement a triple drug therapy.”

The triple drug therapy referenced by Dr. GordonCampbell includes 200 kg Ivermectin which will allow the Ministry to reach its target within the WHO stipulated time. “We have this year and we have 2020 [next year], and if we manage to reach over 80 percent coverage we could be eligible for elimination,” said the DCMO as she named Costa Rica, Suriname and Trinidad as countries in this part of the Region that were formerly endemic for filaria but have since achieved elimination. But according to Dr. Adu Krow he has heard reports that some people have been opposed to the treatment which is offered at no cost to members of the population. “I tend to hear people say lymphatic filariasis is for the underprivileged and therefore it does not affect them,” said the PAHO/WHO Representative. He, however, warned against this perception since “it has shown that about 600,000 people are at risk. It doesn’t mean that we have it but we are also at risk, we are exposed and that is just about 85 to 90 percent of the population and that is key.” “If you are at risk then we must get rid of it, because if you are at risk you can always get it. That aside, there are about 60,000 people who are thought to have filariasis so that is a big number and we need to take it seriously,” the PAHO Representative said. (Kaieteur News)