The goal of the National Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (NPELF) is to eliminate LF by 2020.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the Secretariat of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis and provides technical and financial support. Detailed information (endemicity, MDA, monitoring and evaluation) on this and other NPELF can be found on www.who.int/lymphatic_filariais. |
Country data
Population |
18,606,000 million |
Endemicity |
15,821,728 at risk. 98 of 111 implementation units (IU) are endemic |
Clinical manifestations |
It is estimated that 315,000 are affected with hydrocoele and 195,000 with lymphoedema |
Drug regime |
Albendazole – donated by GlaxoSmithKline
DEC |
MDA implementation cycle |
December 2005; February 2007; November 2007 |
Treatment strategy |
Door-to-Door, some kiosks, drug distribution at schools |
Social mobilisation |
Social mobilization plays a key role in ensuring high drug coverage and compliance of eligible populations and also in supporting the disability prevention activities. Various target audiences were addressed and for each adapted strategies were used for dissemination of the LF messages. Advertisements were broadcasted on national and private television and radio stations. Meetings were conducted at district and sub-district levels in order to explain the importance of the campaign. Convincing messages were sent in order to urge people to take their tablets. Religious leaders contribute to the social mobilization in persuading people to take their drugs. In addition, during the house-to-house visits, community drug distributors reiterate the message delivered in the media. |
Vector control |
Anopheles gambiae complex controlled by malaria programmes in rural areas. Culex control in urban settings by municipal authorities. |
Co-implementation |
Schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths and malaria - where appropriate. |
Recognition
Filaria species |
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Wuchereria bancrofti |
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Onchocerca volvulus |
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Loa loa |
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Mansonella perstans |
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Vectors |
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Anopheles gambiae complex |
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Simulium damnosum sl |
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Culex quinquefasciatus |
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Culicoides spp. |
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An. funestus |
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S. naevis |
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Diagnostics |
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ICT |
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Blood slide |
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Skin snips |
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Blood smears; Mazotti reaction |
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Night blood smears |
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REMO |
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Skin biopsies |
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Counting Chamber |
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Capacity Building
Year |
Type of training |
Cadre |
Number trained |
2004 |
Lymphoedema management |
Primary Health Workers (doctos & nurses) |
3 |
2005 |
Drug distribution and TOT for drug distributors |
Primary Health Workers (doctos & nurses) |
111 |
| Laboratory - microfilariae counting |
Laboratory personnel |
7 |
| WHODAS - Disability assessment schedule - at community level |
Central/district level and NGO staff |
12 |
2006 |
Lymphatic filariasis national programme manager |
Programme management (Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Ghana) |
1 |
| Hydrocoele surgery - local conditions |
Surgeon and medical doctors |
14 |
| Lymphoedema management |
Primary Health Workers (doctos & nurses) |
46 |
2007 |
LF programme management |
Management team at district level |
26 |
Laboratory - microfilariae counting |
Laboratory personnel |
1 |
Programme Support & Partnerships
The NPELF is included in both the national and district (IU) level budgets
Disability prevention programme
The training manual for CommunityHome-based Prevention of Disability (developed by WHO) was tested in the field.
Currently, three projects are on-going - Handicap International, Reggio Terzo Mondo and Azafady. In close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, they jointly perform, at community level, hydrocoele surgery using local anaesthesia and lymphoedema management.
Budget line
Ministry of Health budget line for LF/PCT at the national level or at the IU level. At the national level, the funds allocated by the Ministry of Health for LF is included in the 'other diseases' budget line.
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