Malawi awarded for elephantiasis’ elimination

Malawi gets award for ending Elephantiasis

By Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE (MaraviPost)-Malawi has been awarded for elimination of Lymphatic Flariasis dubbed as Elephantiasis through Mectinaz donation program which was validated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in February 2020.

Presenting the award on Tuesday, October 12, 2022 in the capital Lilongwe, Mectizan Donation Program’s Director Dr. Yao Sodallon said Malawi is the second country to eliminate the disease.

Sodallon said Global Fund awarded Malawi for the elimination of elephantiasis.

Receiving Elephantiasis Elimination Award, Deputy minister of Health, Enock Phale said the disease was a major public health problem in Malawi.

“With seropositivity rate ranging from 1% to as high as 74%. It took six successive years of Mass Drug Administration using a combination of ivermectin and albendazole to reduce the prevalence to less than 1%,” said Phale.

He said indebted to international partners who provided medicine to the country by free of charge.

Phale added that there was full technical and financial support throughout the time of implementation.

“After interrupting transmission, the focus of the program is on morbidity management and disability prevention through hydrocele surgeries and training of lymphoedema patients on self-care,” adds Phale.

He said the focus of the program is on morbidity management and disability prevention through hydrocele surgeries and training of lymphoedema patients on self-care towards post elimination.

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