Health Bulletin 2009

Filariasis
Filariasis is a mosquito borne parasitic disease causing swelling of the limbs, urogenital organs,
breast, etc. with long-term disability. In Bangladesh, it is present now in 23 endemic districts,
mostlybordering India. About 20 million are already infected, most of which are incapacitated
and another 30 million are at risk of infection.
The disease can be eliminated by yearly single dose of Tab. Diethylcarbamazine and Tab.
Albendazole for successive 4-6 years by Mass Drug Administration (MDA)as per WHO
guideline. The morbidity can also be controlled by simple washing, hygiene, physiotherapy and
surgery in case of hydrocele. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is committed to eliminating
filariasis by 2015 with global elimination of WHO commitment by 2020.
The target of Bangladesh is to eliminate the disease by 2015 through transmission and
morbidity control. Accordingly Filariasis Elimination Program (FEP) was started from January
2001 as a new program under Director, Communicable Disease Control (CDC) of DGHS. The
program has two principal goals: (a) to interrupt transmission of infection; and (b) to alleviate
and prevent both the suffering and disability caused by the disease. The main strategy for
filariasis elimination is mass drug administration (MDA) to the entire population at risk and
morbidity control. The program was started in Panchagar District in October 2001 covering 0.91
million population with 93% coverage. In 2002, 5.1 million were under MDA with 87.32%
coverage. In 2003 another 17.2 million, in 2004, 25 million and in 2008, 33.6 million were
brought under MDA with >79.38% coverage found on post MDA coverage survey. Morbidity
control activity will also continue side by side.Many lymphedema patients (7,908 cases) were
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