Sarangani to be filariasis-free by 2018

By JOY R. SEVILLA

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (June 10, 2014) – There is no reason for Sarangani Province not to achieve the goal of filariasis-free by 2018.

This was bared by Dr. Teogenes Baluma, regional director of the Department of Health (DOH) in Region XII, during the Consultation Workshop on National Filariasis Elimination Program (NFEP) and Mass Drug Administration (MDA) held in General Santos City recently.

Filariasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods, mainly black flies and mosquitoes.

“We target that all provinces in the region be filariasis-free by 2018. Sarangani Province can achieve this goal even before 2018,” Baluma asserted.

Baluma said the provinces of North Cotabato and South Cotabato have been declared filariasis-free by the DOH in 2011 and 2013, respectively. In the region, Sarangani Province and Sultan Kudarat are on the process of conducting Mass Drug Administration (MDA) in both public and private schools.

“Pinakamadaling i-eliminate ang filariasis at kumpleto tayo sa gamot kaya walang rason na hindi natin ma-achieve yung goal,” he said.

On the other hand, Royfrextopher Boholst, regional filariasis coordinator, said that Sarangani will conduct its last MDA in July this year. MDA is conducted every year within five years span. After the last MDA, a transmission assessment survey (TAS) will be conducted by the health office.

“The micro-filaria should be less than one percent in each site. The micro-filaria in five out of seven municipalities in Sarangani is already less than one percent. So, there is a big possibility for Sarangani to be declared as filariasis-free before 2018,” Boholst explained.

One of the criteria of the health office to conduct a transmission assessment survey (TAS) is for a province to have at least five good MDAs. An MDA is considered good if its coverage is equal to or more than 65 percent, which is set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“We have the medicines, it’s ready. We just need to have a close coordination with the provincial and municipal health officers and coordinators so that we will definitely hit the target,” Boholst said.

During the past years, medicines for filariasis are taken from the WHO. However, recently, it became available for there is already a local (Philippine-based) manufacturer of such medicine.

He added that Sarangani Province would first be declared filariasis-free than the province of Sultan Kudarat.

“We are hopeful that Sultan Kudarat will also meet the 2018 target,” Boholst said, adding that the province still needs to implement and monitor its MDA.

According to Boholst, the World Health Organization has a goal for global filariasis elimination by 2020. He added that the Philippines targets filariasis elimination two years earlier than the WHO target.

The WHO global filariasis elimination by 2020 means that by the end of 2020, 70 percent of countries worldwide are verified free of filariasis, and 35 percent has stopped MDA.

Records show that 53 countries are implementing MDA since 2011 including the Philippines where 44 provinces were endemic for the disease in 12 regions. 

Meanwhile, the Provincial Health Office is grateful with the support given by the local officials, from Rep. Manny Pacquiao, Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, Vice Governor Jinkee Pacquiao, and all the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, in the implementation of programs that grant free health services to the people in the community. (Joy R. Sevilla/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)