Accra, Dec. 4, GNA - Dr Nana Kwadwo Biritwum, Programme Manager of the Neglected Tropical Disease Control Programme under the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has expressed worry over the low level of seriousness people attach to the control of Elephantiasis in the country, especially by affected communities. He said experiences gathered show that endemic communities as well as vulnerable areas, paid very little seriousness to the efforts being put up by the GHS under the Programme saying "sometimes affected people failed to tend up for medical attention."

Dr Biritwum, who told the Ghana News Agency on Friday, announced that GHS has rolled out a six years elephantiasis eradication programme in the ten regions to administer drugs to affected persons as well as monitor the situation to better fight it and check its spread. He said "Annually, drugs are distributed freely to endemic communities and everybody is supposed to take part in the exercise because one can not detect the disease unless the swollen takes place".

He said elephantiasis can not be cured but measures can be taken to lesson the pain and or size of the affected part. "Washing the affected parts daily with soft cloth, exercising regularly and taking the required drugs can reduce the swollen but not cured it," Dr Biritwum stressed.

There are two types of Elephantiasis. The most common form is called Lymphatic Filariasis, which is transmitted through bites from particular species of infected female mosquitoes. The other type is the non-parasitic form called "Non-Filarial Elephantiasis or Podoconiosis," he added.

Dr Biritwum said the disease could be found in the three Northern Regions, Central, Brong Ahafo, Western and the Greater Accra Regions. He explained that the disease does not only affect the legs but it can also affect other parts of the body such as the breast, scrotum and arm. He lauded the Government of Ghana, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Non Governmental Organisations in general for their efforts in the fight against the disease. Dr Biritwum urged endemic communities to apply the medication given them and also called on them to always support the team of experts under the Programme.

An Elephantiasis patient, john Baba, 38, who spoke to Ghana News Agency, said he acquired the disease in 1991 and wished vulnerable persons, would put in place the necessary measures to avoid being infected. He said his situation might be difficult to control but hoped a lot could be done for those with slight or minimal attacks of the disease.