The Impact of Mass Drug Administration on Lymphatic Filariasis

Abstract

Mass drug administration (MDA) has made a signifcant impact on the control of lymphatic flariasis (LF) since the establishment of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis. However, its implementation is associated with several challenges, hampering interruption of parasite transmission and LF elimination in endemic areas. Tis study assessed the impact of MDA by comparing baseline microflaria and antigen prevalence with those after three years (mid-term) and ≥5 years of MDA imple mentation and their respective prevalence reductions and identifed specifc challenges that may hinder its efective imple mentation. Tree years of MDA implementation were observed to have microflaria prevalence reductions (88.54% to 98.66%) comparable to those of studies that implemented MDA for fve to 10 years (≥5 years, 79.23% to 98.26%). Inadequate community understanding of and participation in the LF MDA programme are major drawbacks to its efective implementation. Te implementation of MDA that incorporates community participation, incentivisation, education, and training strategies has the potential of increasing MDA coverage and compliance, thereby interrupting parasite transmission and reducing microflarial prevalence to levels that warrant LF elimination