Lanka first SAARC country to eradicate filaria
Nadira GUNATILLEKE
Sri Lanka has set a record by becoming the first country in the SAARC
region to eradicate Filaria. Sri Lanka will receive a special
certificate issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in this
regard, Health Services, Public Health Deputy Director General, Dr.
Palitha Maheepala said. According to Dr. Maheepala, Sri Lanka achieved
the required standard of eradication of Filaria in 2004 by reducing the
percentage of micro filaria in blood. Now this percentage has further
reduced and it is only 0.03 at the moment. This has been done with hard
work including carrying out regular monitoring programs. It cost Rs.
2,000 to carry out one test to find out the percentage of micro filaria
in one blood sample.
The Ministry is now in the process of finding out the percentage of
affected children who had born after the last one day treatment program
implemented by the Ministry.
The Ministry implemented a one day treatment program for five years
continuously. U.S. assists the Ministry to carry out this survey conduct
in 34 selected schools in Dehiwala, he said. According to a recent
survey conducted in Dehiwala, which has been identified as the most
affected area, only eight adults were found positive for Filaria out of
580 adults.
Another scientific test was carried out to find out the density of
Filaria mosquitoes. During this test, mosquitoes will be collected by
using around 30 traps and test their DNA. This test will commence next
Monday, he added. |
