Lymphatic filariasis patients offer advice on coping
and surviving the disease
By Indrawattie Natram
Several filariasis patients in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are offering words of advice and encouragement to fellow infected individuals to remain positive despite having to live with this debilitating disease.
Vibert Munroe, 69, a rice farmer of Richmond Village said he “inherited” the disease from his mother at the age of 16. Munroe has severely suffered from the disease, which is also commonly known as elephantiasis. Despite painful and profound disfiguration, Munroe has managed to live a ‘normal’ life, providing for his family and also being an inspiration for others with filariasis.
Munroe, who attends the Anna Regina and Suddie Public Hospital High-Risk clinics, said he has received much support from these clinics as they serve as support groups as other patients meet, socialise and interact with each other. Those who are not suffering from the disease are also encouraged to take preventive measures, like using Albendazole tablets. Notably, Munroe also sensitises youths on filariasis.
He revealed that several of his siblings are infected. Sadly, one of his brothers died recently from the disease.
Narine Murlie, from Golden Fleece village on the Essequibo Coast, has been living with filariasis for over 40 years. He recalled developing a pain in his ankle which eventually spread causing his left foot to swell. With a few adjustments, however, he has been coping with the disease. Murlie still enjoys riding his bicycle to the backdam and earning a living.
Murlie’s encouragement to others suffering from the disease is to “not give up, but be an inspiration to all those that are struggling”.
Both Munroe and Murlie receive medication from the Suddie Public Hospital, however they have expressed a need for more treatments, including medication for filariasis.
Efforts against
filariasis in Guyana
Mass Drug Administration (MDA) is promoted in Guyana as the only prevention and treatment method for filariasis. MDA aims to treat an entire population within a country through administering a curative dose of medication to vulnerable citizens without first testing for infections. The MDA exercise is annually spearheaded by all public health agencies worldwide. Individuals also have a personal mandate of keeping their surroundings clean and free of breeding sites for (culex) mosquitoes that carry the worm. The use of treated bed nets is also recommended.
The Neglected Diseases unit, through funding from the Government of Guyana, provides slippers, towels, buckets and basins to filariasis patients to properly wash their feet. Dressing and bandage are also given for covering and further treatment.
The Ministry of Public Health has been collaborating over the years with agencies such as the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and a number of non-governmental organisations for a number of years in reducing the number of filarial cases within the country.
The process of treatment at the unit of the Vector Control Services starts with evaluation. The patients are evaluated then tested to confirm that there is indeed microscopic thread-like or roundworms in the system that would eventually cause filariasis. If the worm is detected, treatment begins with the administration of Albendazole or Diethylcarbamazine Citrate (DEC) at pre-specified doses. This medication will kill the worms that cause swelling of the groin or limbs, more specifically the leg.
According to coordinator of the Neglected Infectious Diseases Department within the Vector Control Services Unit, Dr. Fabu Moses, pointed out that at present more than 90 percent of the population is at risk of contracting filariasis.
“We did a study on primary school children in Regions One to Ten and this gave us some figures that showed our country or 90 percent of our population is at risk of contracting the small worms, micro-filariae, in adulthood,” she related in a recent interview.
The Vector Control Unit and Ministry of Public Health are now looking to ensure that everyone over the age of two, excluding those pregnant or considered to be very ill, is medicated.
“The Mass Drug Administration campaign has quite a few different facets, which include going house-to-house to disseminate information and medication to persons… We will be walking with the original containers the medication came in so that people will see where they were made, their expiry date. This is done to alleviate concerns people have about what they are consuming, and rightfully so,” she declared.
For those persons who are not available when the teams visit their homes, filariasis medication will be available at health centres in Regions Three and Four since the medication is not available in pharmacies. The MDA campaign is expected to reach Region Two in 2018.
