Nepal begins three-day anti-elephantiasis campaign

Nepal on Saturday kicked off a three-day anti-elephantiasis campaign across the nation's 36 districts in a bid to wipe out the disease caused by filarial worms.

According to reports, anti-elephantiasis medicines will be distributed to 13 million people.

The Nepal government since 2003 has launched the campaign against lymphatic filariasis after cases of mosquito-borne disease were traced in 61 districts.

Dr. Baburam Marasini, Director at the Epidemiology and Diseases Control Division of Department of Health Services said that the medicines would be given to folks free of charge, reports the Himalayan Times.

Dr. Marasini also said that medicines against the diseases should be taken in six different phases but the children below two years, aspirant mothers, patients of epilepsy and patients of serious illness should not take these medicines.

A total of 13,078 health workers and 65,678 volunteers have been mobilised to make the campaign a success.

The similar campaign was earlier held in 27 districts.