Anti-filariasis drive to begin

KOCHI: The government has kick-started a massive anti-filariasis drive across the city, owing to the high incidence of cases of the disease, especially within the Kochi Corporation limits.According to the figures released by the government, out of the total of 1,899 cases detected in the Ernakulam district, 1,300 are from the Corporation area. As per the government report, all the 74 divisions of the Corporation are vulnerable to filariasis.A community-level filariasis treatment programme will be undertaken from April 26 to April 28.The initiative is aimed at providing anti-filarial drugs to every person in the Corporation limits, except for children below two years of age. The simultaneous intake of medicine at the community-level is expected to prevent the spread of the disease through mosquitoes by up to 95 per cent.The community-level filarial treatment is being simultaneously undertaken in 200 selected districts across the country. This national drive is expected to bring down the disease prevalence indicator from the existing 1.5 to 0.15 per cent.