Union Secretary for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Rajesh Bhushan launched a nationwide Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign aimed at ending disease transmission through the door-to-door administration of anti-filarial drugs, especially in 10 filaria affected states.

• This launch comes a month after the program received resounding support from the Hon’ble Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to eliminate Filariasis by 2027, three years ahead of the global target.
• High-burden districts in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh jointly launched the campaign.
• India has ramped up efforts in eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis a Vector Borne Disease caused by Culex mosquitoes which causes disability well ahead of global targets to safeguard communities from disability, social and economic insecurity.
• Government of India has already unveiled a renewed five-pronged strategy for elimination of LF as shown in the figure below.