Health directorate embarks on deworming exercise

Story: Lucy Adoma Yeboah
THE Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate has devoted December 13 and December 17, 2010 to embark on mass administration of dewormer for the prevention of Lymphatic Filariasis (elephantiasis) in parts of the region.
The drug, Albendazole and Ivermectin, according to a statement from the directorate, would be administered in the endemic districts of Ledzokuku Krowor, Ga West, Ga East, Ga South, Ayawaso, La, Ablekuma and Ashiedu Keteke, all in the Greater Accra Region.
The statement which was signed by the Head of the Health Promotion Unit (HPU), Ms Honesty Numetu, indicated that during the period volunteers would move from house to house to administer the drug and advised people within the affected communities to avail themselves for the exercise to protect themselves from the disease.
In addition, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) had also advised that people with swollen legs, scrotum and any other parts of their body should seek treatment from the nearest health facility.
It explained that the drug was for everybody aged five years and above with height ranging from 90 centimetres and above, however, children under five years, pregnant and lactating mothers and seriously ill patients would not be given.
Studies have demonstrated that transmission of the infection can be broken when a single dose of combined oral medicines is consistently administered annually for approximately seven years.
In Ghana, Albendazole and Ivermectin can be taken once in a year to prevent it.
Additional information provided by the GHS indicated that the lymphatic filariasis is spread from person to person by mosquito bites.
When a mosquito bites a person who has lymphatic filariasis, microscopic worms circulating in the person’s blood enter and infect the mosquito. Human beings get lymphatic filariasis from the bite of an infected mosquito.
The microscopic worms pass from the mosquito through the skin and travel to the lymph vessels. In the lymph vessel, they grow into adults. An adult worm lives for about five to seven years.
The statement indicated that when infected with lymphatic filariasis , an individual could be rendered inactive, less productive and could not socialise.
Filariasis is a parasitic disease and considered an infectious tropical disease that is caused by thread-like filarial nematodes (roundworms).