By CHILA NAMAIKO
ELEVEN out of the 13 districts in Southern Province have been categorised as high prevalence areas of Lymphatic Filariasis also known as elephantiasis.
This is a parasitic infection causing extreme swelling in the arms or legs. It is typically characterised by a thickening of the skin and subcutaneous tissues that lead to enlarged and swollen limbs and groin.
Provincial Medical officer Jelita Chinyonga said Mazabuka and Chikankanta were the only two districts with sporadic cases and the degree of elephantiasis was yet to be studied.
Giving an update of elephantiasis in the province, Dr Chinyonga said yesterday that, in the 11 categorised districts, it required interventions.
“There is no outbreak of Lymphatic Filariasis in Southern Province and the Government through Ministry of Health has stepped up efforts of sensitising the general public to carry out major programmes to prevent and control it,” she said.
A large-scale mapping survey of 2003 to 2011 findings showed a prevalence of the disease ranging from 1 per cent to 54 per cent.
About 85 districts countrywide were identified as at risk after showing high prevalence rates for the presence of the parasite.
Dr Chinyonga said elephantiasis affects the circulation system by blocking the lymphatic flow, hence causing enormous swelling of the body parts and genitals due to retention of fluids.
The filarial worm causing the disease is transmitted by female anopheles mosquito. The worms travel to the lymph-vessels where they grow into adults and could live for seven years.
The Government has since embarked on treating the disease using Albendazole and Ivermectin to kill the worms and break the transmission.
Dr Chinyonga said the drugs were given as a single dose annually for duration of four to six years and urged communities to embrace the Mass Drug Administration.
Phase one covers districts in Eastern, Lusaka, North Western and Copperbelt provinces while phase two was for other remaining provinces.