SLIP-SHOD and outright callous! That best describes the working of the Health Department. Sample this: The week-long anti-filaria drive targeted people in the age group of 14-60 years. Against prescribed norms of giving the dosage thrice in a day, people were given three tablets (Di Ethyl Carbamazine) of 100 mg each in one single go!
Despite this, the health department could cover only 1.5 lakh people against a population of 26 lakh in the urban area alone. Meanwhile, urban malaria officer Dr SC Pathak, in charge of conducting anti-filaria vaccination drive, said, “Normally, doctors prescribe medicines at regular intervals but as per directives from higher authorities people from 14-60 years old were given tablets in one dose”.
Having seen some patients complaining of side effects after taking anti-filaria vaccines in the week-long campaign, Department Head of Medicine at GSVM Medical College Dr BD Mangal said, “I have examined patients with white patches on the skin that is generally not seen after administering DEC. There must be some flaw in the medicine and it’s quality should be examined by the concerned authority before giving it to people.” Dr Mangal was also of the view that there was no need to give DEC to normal people. “The DEC medicine is not for normal people and if it is given then only in areas where filaria has spread,” he added.
Health officials involved in the campaign said that due to the reaction of the medicine, they were not allowed to give DEC to people, at least in a dozen places. An official in the malaria office said, “The filaria drive was a national campaign but it failed due to the apathy of the State Government and health department as well.”
This is not the end of the story. Collecting of blood samples, though it should have begun on National Filaria Day — January 8 and continued till January 14 — did not actually get off the blocks till January 9. After that samples were collected only on January 10 and 12.
{{/usCountry}}This is not the end of the story. Collecting of blood samples, though it should have begun on National Filaria Day — January 8 and continued till January 14 — did not actually get off the blocks till January 9. After that samples were collected only on January 10 and 12.
{{/usCountry}}When queried about the low coverage and complaints in the week-long anti-filaria drive, Chief Medical Officer VS Singh said, “From January 22 to 31, the Health department will again launch the drive. With the Pulse Polio campaign from January 15 to 21, it is not possible to execute two national drives simultaneously.”
He said 100% population would be covered in the second phase. About the quality of the drug, the CMO said that it was sent from the State Capital after being tested.