Lymphatic Filariasis in India : Problems, Challenges and New Initiatives

Filariasis is a major public health problem in India and inspite of existence of the National Filaria Control Programme since 1955, currently there may be up to 31 million microfilaraemics, 23 million cases of symptomatic filariasis, and about 473 million individuals potentially at risk of infection. Over the last 10 years advances have led to new diagnostic/ treatment tools and control strategies for filariasis. The new control strategy aims at transmission control through mass treatment and at disease control through individual patient management. As a signatory to 50th World Health Assembly resolution on global elimination of lymphatic filariasis in 1997, revised filariasis control program was launched in India in 13 districts in seven endemic states where mass drug administration was undertaken. Single dose mass administration annually in combination with other techniques has already eliminated lymphatic filariasis from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Solomon Islands and markedly reduced the transmission in China. Very high treatment coverage (probably > 85%) is required to achieve interruption of transmission and elimination in India. Hence, there is an urgent need for effective drug delivery strategies that are adapted to regional differences. This requires powerful advocacy tools and strategies as well as procedures for monitoring and evaluating the impact of elimination programme.