NATIONAL FILARIA CONTROL PROGRAMME

After pilot project in Orissa from 1949 to 1954, the National Filaria Control Programme (NFCP) was launched in the country in 1955 with the objective of delimiting the problem, to undertake control measures in endemic areas and to train personnel to man the programme. The main control measures were mass DEC administration, antilarval measures in urban areas and indoor residual spray in rural areas.

NFCP Strategy

• Recurrent anti-larval measures at weekly intervals.
• Environmental methods including source reduction by filling ditches, pits, low lying areas, deweeding, desilting, etc.
• Biological control of mosquito breeding through larvivorous fish.
• Anti-parasitic measures through 'detection' and 'treatment' of microfilaria carriers and disease person with DEC by Filaria Clinics in towns covered under the programme.