The Mass Drug Administration for lymphatic filariasis this year is to treat 80% of all eligible individuals that reside in communities that fall under the Eastern division.
These are the population in all communities in Lau, Kadavu, Lomaiviti and Rotuma as well as in Taveuni in the North and also on Malolo Island in the western division.
Health Minister Jone Usamate says these communities still register a Lymphatic Filariasis prevalence rate that exceeds 1% and is encouraging residents to take their medications.
“The MDA volunteers can be identified by way of the bibs that they will be wearing and will visit your homes to register members of the household and provide on the spot treatment, during the campaign week. The Ministry appeals/ to members of the public in all the mentioned communities to support the MDA volunteers in their work and swallow the MDA medications that they will prescribe with water in their presence.”
The Health Minister is urging the population, community leaders, MDA volunteers ad health care workers in these provinces to ensure all eligible individuals get treated during the MDA week.
Usamate has given advise that only the very sick, pregnant women and the under 2 years of age are not eligible to take the medicine.
The final MDA week ends this Saturday.
