
Lymphatic Filariasis in Indonesia
Elimination Month and disease Awareness (5 October 2019)
Limphatic Filariasis (LF)
commonly known as elephantiasis is one of the major public health problems in
Indonesia. The infection occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to
human through mosquitos. The LF program has aimed to reduce and eliminate
contagious of LF through MDA and to prevent disease susceptibility.
With
the abovementioned spirit, on October 5, 2019, initiated by Indonesia Ministry
of Health (MOH), Eisai has held its DEC stakeholders meeting which followed
with educational event of socialization with Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) patients
at a local assembly hall in Betun Malaka,
Indonesia by provides DEC (diethylcarbamazine) tablets, a treatment for LF,
free of charge to endemic countries through the World Health Organization (WHO)
elimination program, and Eisai has provided about 1.9 billion DEC tablets to 28
endemic countries including Indonesia as of August 2019.
This
meeting was held on the next day of BELKAGA (Bulan Eliminasi Kaki Gajah) conducted on October 4th
to declare the 5th year of the National Lymphatic Filariasis
Elimination Campaign in Indonesia.
Followed
by the opening remarks by Dr Paskalia Frida Fahik, Head of Dinas Betun Malaka District, Dr. Aji Mulia Avisena
M.Epid and dr. Eksi Wijayanti M. Epid from Sub Directorate Filariasis of the Indonesian
Ministry of Health gave presentation on the current endemic status of the
disease in Indonesia and its prevention for LF.
Meanwhile, Ms. Kamata, Deputy Executive
Director of Knowledge Creation Dept., Eisai Co., Ltd., Ms. Estiyasa
Handayani, DEC Manager of P.T. Eisai Indonesia, and
Mr. Shrikant Deshmukh DEC Manager of Eisai Pharmaceuticals India Pvt. Ltd.
provided presentations. The presentations were on Eisai’s hhc
corporate philosophy, efforts on LF to establish partnership with local
government, NGO, healthcare staff to provide not only DEC tablets free of
charges but also solutions, and the DEC hhc project
and the recent updates of Eisai’s activities and contribution in Indonesia and
India.
This
served the purpose to build strong cooperative relationship with various
stakeholders among local government, cadre, medical doctor, Eisai as well as
medical students from University of Gadjah Mada (UGM)
who have joined the meeting, to understand the disease and its prevention for
best solutions going forward. At their speech, the participants from the local
authorities said that she was impressed with Eisai’s efforts and contribution
in hhc
projects in relation to DEC and the LF elimination.
(end)