Mekong-Plus Programme Review Group

A Social Mobilization and Training team from WHO headquarters, Geneva, has been assisting countries such as the Philippines by providing COMBI (Communication-for-Behavioural-Impact) training with national support. The outcome will be a complete door-to-door mass drug administration (MDA) campaign in several provinces that will be used as a model for further scaling-up next year.

National programme managers agree that, despite substantial efforts, current funding gaps will hamper full implementation of lymphatic filariasis elimination activities. However, innovative fund-raising activities are under way. For example, the Japanese government will fund Health Fairs in 2003, at which immunization will be offered to rural populations; it is hoped that this will become a model of synergy with other programmes. The Fairs will be limited to appropriate areas, however, and nationwide door-to-door MDAs will become the norm. The Chair of the Mekong Plus PRG reports that Member States have achieved coverage of about 17% of the at-risk population of 210 million.