Lok Sabha Question No. 2966 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-03
Subject: Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: RAJESH VERMA, PRATHAP SIMHA, PRALHAD VENKATESH JOSHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2966 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3 rd AUGUST, 2018

## ELIMINATION OF LYMPH ATIC FILARIASIS

## 2966. SHRI RAJESH VERMA: SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA: SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps taken by the Government to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) as public health problem;
- (b) whether LF or commonly known as Elephantiasis is one of the oldest and most debilitating neglected disease, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has proposed the Accelerated Plan for Elimination of LF 2018 for India, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether 100 Districts out of total 256 Endemic Districts have achieved elimination target, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the strategy to eliminate LF in India is based on Mass Drug Administration (MDA) once in a year for interruption of transmission, if so, the details thereof; a nd
- (f) the measures taken to enhance awareness among the affected communities about the LF and its treatment?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): Government of India has taken following steps to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) : -
- As  an  important  strategy,  the  Government  is  implementing  Mass  Drug  Administration (MDA) with Diethylcarbamazine Citrate (DEC) since 2004.
- Tab Albendazole for co -administration with DEC in MDA was included in 2007.
- Launched the guidelines on Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis, India in 2009.
- Launched Transmission Assessment Survey (TAS) guidelines, 2013 - 14.
- Incorporation of elimination of LF under National Health Policy (2017).
- Launched the Acc elerated Plan for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis  on 13 th June 2018.
- (b): Yes, Lymphoedema or elephantiasis (skin/tissue thickening) of limbs and hydrocele LF brings huge social stigma leading to economic and social loss for the affected persons .
- ( c): Yes, The Government has launched the Accelerated Plan for Elimination of Lymphati Filariasis, 2018 on 13 th June, 2018. The Plan targets elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) public health problem by 2020 by adopting newer approaches such as triple - drug therapy.
- (d): Yes. The list of 100 districts under surveillance is at Annexure.
- ( e): Yes.

The strategy to eliminate LF is based on twin pillars as below:

1. Mass Drug Administration (MDA) with DEC + Albendazole and
2. Morbidity  Managementand  Disability  Management  (MMDP).  As  per  National  Health Policy (NHP) 2002, all the 256 endemic districts were covered under MDA. In 2018, 1 districts are observing MDA.

Change

- (f) : Extensive Information Education Communication (IEC)/ Behaviour Communi cation (BCC) campaign through inter - personal communication, mass media including radio, T.V, social media are carried out periodically.

## Annexure

| 100 Districts cleared 1st Transmission Assessment Survey (TAS)   | 100 Districts cleared 1st Transmission Assessment Survey (TAS)   | 100 Districts cleared 1st Transmission Assessment Survey (TAS)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr.No.                                                           | State/UT                                                         | Districts cleared TAS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 1                                                                | Andhra Pradesh (9)                                               | Chittoor, East Godavari, Nellore, Prakasham, Srikakulam, Krishna, Guntur, Visakhapatnam, West Godavari                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 2                                                                | Telangana (4)                                                    | Mahboobnagar, Rangareddy, Karimnagar, Nizamabad                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 3                                                                | Assam (7)                                                        | Darrang + Udalguri, Dhemaji, Dhuburi, Nalbari + Baksa, Kamrup, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 4                                                                | Bihar (2)                                                        | Madhepura, Katihar                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 5                                                                | Chhattisgarh (1)                                                 | Dhamtari                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 6                                                                | Goa (2)                                                          | North Goa, South Goa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 7                                                                | Gujarat (8)                                                      | Amreli, Jamnagar, Junagarh, Porbander, Rajkot, Vadodara (Dabhoi town), Surat Municipal Corpn., Surat Municipal Corpn., Surat (R)                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 8                                                                | Karnataka (3)                                                    | D. Kannada, Udupi, U. Kannada                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 9                                                                | Kerala (9)                                                       | Enrakulam,Thrissur, Kottayam, Kollam, Kannur, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Kasargod                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 10                                                               | Madhya Pradesh (3)                                               | Sagar, Chhindwara, Satna                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 11                                                               | Maharashtra (10)                                                 | Wardha, Jalgaon, Sindhudurg, Akola, Amrawati, Yawatmal, Solapur, Latur, Osmanabad, Nandurbar                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 12                                                               | Odisha (10)                                                      | Nawarangpur, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Nuapada, Kendrapara, Koraput, Balasore, Puri, Jajpur, Boudh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 13                                                               | Tamilnadu (20)                                                   | Chennai, Kanchipuram + Saidapet, Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Perambalur+Ariyalur, Pudukottai +Aranthangi, Thanjavur, Thiruvallur + Poonamallee, Thiruvarur, Trichy, Vellore +Thiruppattur, Villupuram + Kallakurichi, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Thirunelveli, Karur, Cuddalore, Thiruvannamalai+Cheyyar, Tuticorin, Tuticorin, Krishnagiri |
| 14                                                               | Uttar Pradesh (4)                                                | Chandauli, Etawah, Kaushambi, Rampur                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 15                                                               | West Bengal (5)                                                  | East Midnapur, West Midnapur, 24-Pargana South, Nadia, Malda                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 16                                                               | Andaman & Nicobar Islands (1)                                    | Andaman & Nicobar Islands                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 17                                                               | Daman & Diu (1)                                                  | Daman & Diu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 18                                                               | Puducherry (1)                                                   | Puducherry                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |