DOH to declare Leyte, Samar as ‘filariasis-free’

THE Department of Health (DOH) will declare Leyte and Samar as filariasis-free provinces as soon as the evaluation report for the filariasis campaign of the agency for the two provinces comes out.

Just this week, the DOH declared Eastern Samar as a filariasis-free province.

The declaration was witnessed by top officials of the DOH, Erlinda Domingo, director of the support to service delivery technical cluster, Dr Mario Baquilod, Dr. Irma Asuncion, director of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, among others.

Report of filariasis campaign in Leyte and Samar provinces had already reached their office for evaluation, Minerva Molon, DOH assistant regional director, said.

Aside from Leyte and Samar, they are hoping for Northern Samar to be included in the list of filariasis-free province. However, no report on the status of filariasis in said province had reached their office yet.

Southern Leyte and Biliran were declared as filariasis-free provinces in 2008 and 2010, respectively.

At present, the DOH already declared 12 provinces as filariasis-free province out of 44 provinces in the country. The declaration was attributed by the DOH to their campaign and help by local government units (LGUs).

The DOH official added that during the early years of mass treatment there was a low acceptance among people.

It gradually increased in 2006 when the LGU scorecard was used to track the progress of LGU performance on health programs and with the help of advocacy campaign especially in strengthening working relationship with partners in the school and community.

Furthermore, to ensure that no one will be infected with filariasis, the DOH official in the region had called for citizens to use mosquito nets during bed time especially those who are living in areas known to have high number of filariasis cases.

“This is not as severe as malaria but its impact is strong because if someone with filariasis is not treated, it will cause them permanent disability, which could affect their livelihood,” Molon said. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)