By BEVERLY C. PAOYON
MAASIM, Sarangani (November 9, 2012) – Sarangani administered a province-wide mass drug taking of a combination of Diethylcarbamazine Citrate and Albendazole, a preventive treatment for lymphatic filariasis on Tuesday (November 6) to drum up the Filariasis Awareness Month.
Lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, is a debilitating and disfiguring parasitic disease transmitted thru a mosquito bite that mostly affects women, men and children in remote areas.
It is the second leading cause of permanent and long term disability.
In Sarangani, the mass drug administration already started in 2002 but this year’s awareness campaign is hoped to finally free the province from the disease.
Dr. Arvin Alejandro, assistant provincial health officer, was confident the province could meet the requirement of an 85 percent coverage mass treatment of its total population, a precondition the Department of Health set in declaring a certain area free from filaria.
According to Alejandro, Sarangani is still at 70 percent coverage.
In Region 12, it was North Cotabato that was first declared as filaria-free. South Cotabato would likely be declared next while Alejandro estimated that it would take a span of two to five years before Sarangani could meet the requirement.
Based on 2011 filarial survey conducted in sentinel sites and spot check areas in Sarangani, 74 were diagnosed positive who underwent Noctornal Blood Examination and 12 from the two to four years old who went thru Immunochromatographic Test.
From the seven municipalities, Maasim has the most that were diagnosed positive of the disease.
Governor Migs Dominguez said most of the affected are from the far-flung and mountainous areas. These patients were said to be hesitant to report to health centers due to financial constraints and social stigma they normally experience.
Dominguez said“there’s really a problem in communicating the problem to those who have filariasis.” He said the effort should not just limit to merely administering the treatment “but creating the awareness that something has to be done.”
Alejandro said the participation of the community is only to take the medicine. “We urge them also to tell their neighbors na mag-inom din, of course with the proper orientation and with the proper medication by our health service providers. With our barangay health workers, mas magiging maganda yung awareness for them to really drink the anti-filarial drug.”
The provincial health office has been conducting pilot testing for the drug administration on sites where there are identified patients and where there are symptomatic evidence noted.
“We also consider incidences of malaria because it goes along together. The incidences of malaria in a particular area could mean that yung mosquitoes as vectors are probably mag-cross vectors din sa filaria,” Alejandro said.
“Paglalaki ng mga paa, panlalaki ng mga itlog o pamamaga ng mga itlog o kaya ng susu” are the chronic disability symptoms of filariasis.
As Alejandro pointed out, “it is very effective na mabigyan ng gamot para mawala yung disease. But the moment na meron na tayong makikita, hindi na natin yan mapigilan, andyan na ‘yan but we can stop the progression into more chronic stage.” For more news and updates, please visit the <a href=http://www.sarangani.gov.ph/ > Province of Sarangani </a>. Come and enjoy the MunaTo Festival and 20th Foundation Anniversary of Sarangani Provinceon November 28-30, 2012. (Beverly C. Paoyon/ SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)
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