| Friday January 11, 2019 RESIDENTS URGED TO GET ELEPHANTIASIS DRUGS

THE mass drug administration against elephantiasis, also known as lymphatic filariasis, has started in Ndola where authorities have encouraged residents to take advantage of the programme.

Elephantiasis is caused by parasitic worms, and can spread from person to person through mosquitoes. It causes swelling of the scrotum, breasts or legs. During the launch in Chifubu Township yesterday, Ndola Mayor Amon Chisenga said Government attached great importance to the health of citizens.

He said prevention was better than cure and that long term illnesses like elephantiasis required the affected to take a lot of time away from work.

Mr Chisenga added that only healthy citizens had the ability to propel the development agenda of the nation hence the need for people to get the drugs for elephantiasis as there was no cure.

He said the distribution of the drugs was targeted at 92 percent of the Ndola population noting that at least 536,280 people would take the drugs. He said during this period of drug distribution, health workers together with community drug distributors would be going round various communities to administer the medicines to the residents.

He said the disease would only be eliminated if the people cooperated and took the drugs.