The Mass Drug Administration (MDA) program aimed at preventing filariasis will commence on February 10 (Tuesday). As part of this initiative, 740,000 people will receive anti-filariasis medications.
The National Deworming Day (NDD) program will run concurrently with the MDA program from February 10 to 19 in the districts of Balangir, Bargarh, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, and Ganjam.
The program will be implemented in seven designated Implementation Units (IUs) across these five districts. Participants will receive three types of medication: DEC, Albendazole, and Ivermectin tablets. However, children under the age of 2, pregnant women, and individuals who are seriously ill are prohibited from taking these medications.
A total of 2,200 drug administrators will be deployed for this program, with 210 observers assigned to oversee their activities, as announced during a press conference by the department. The drug administrators will visit households to administer the MDA medicines.
During the conference, it was emphasized that strong coordination, cooperation, and support among various departments are critical to ensure that everyone receives the medication. The conference was chaired by Special Secretary Jitendra Mohan Bebarta and attended by various officials, including Health Services Director Dr. Pradeep Kumar Guru, Public Health Director Dr. Nilakantha Mishra, Additional Director of the State Health and Family Welfare Institute Dr. Kiran Kumar Ratha, Family Welfare Director Dr. Shakti Prakash Mishra, Senior Regional Director Dr. Nilam Somalkar, and Additional Director Dr. Prabhakar Sahu, along with departmental officers and media representatives.
The government of Odisha has reached out to various departments, including Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, School and Mass Education, Higher Education, Mission Shakti, Women and Child Development, Industries, Steel and Mines, and Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste Development, as well as Urban Development, to seek their support for the MDA program.
