PAPEETE (Tahitipresse/PINA) — French Polynesia health officials launched a new round of mass drug administration to fight lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis.
It is the third round of a program which started back in 2000.
On “Filariasis Day,” Friday, a distribution of albendazole tablets was carried out.
Stands were put up in the streets of the main towns while public health workers were visiting all inhabited islands.
According to health officials, the program covers 95 percent of the population.
About 215,000 tablets—140,000 tablets for adults and 75,000 tablets for children—were distributed last year.
Filariasis is caused by a worm like parasite transferred by a number of mosquito species. The worms live in the lymphatic system or the tissues and cause inflammation and swelling.
“We use notezine to fight microfilaraemia and zentel to fight adult worms. We know these two products are very effective,” said Murielle Berges, who heads the health department.
After an incubation period, microfilaraemia could lead to severe elephantiasis cases. Of the 11 species of mosquitoes in Tahiti and her islands, two can carry the disease. Last year 15 cases of acute lymphatic filariasis were registered in French Polynesia.
