Sulaikand Maguindanao now filariasis-free

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao -- The entire province of Maguindanao is a now filariasis-free, health official said. Thanks to massive campaign against the killer disease by Maguindanao Integrated Provincial Health Office, headed by Dr. Tahir Sulaik.For decades, the province’s health providers have been working hard to free Maguindanao’s 36 municipalities from filariasis, a disease caused by mosquito bites.In 1998, Maguindanao was among the 44 endemic provinces nationwide to have recorded cases of filariasis.But after a mid-term assessment survey in 2015 , and through night blood examination survey in three pilot areas including the towns of Datu Paglas, Shariff Aguak, And Sultan Masture, zero rate (of filariasis) was reported as validated from the test conducted by UP college of health.IPHO conducts annual mass drug administration for anti- schistosomiasis tablet mostly targeting the children and was so lucky to reach a high coverage area.And this led to an award for Sulaik in June 23 from former Health Sec. Janette Garin for the success of the campaign.The DOH recognized Sulaik’s efforts to get rid the province of filariasis and the hundreds of health providers who Sulaik credited for the feat.With one disease neutralized,” IPHO-Maguindanao is eyeing other diseases for eradication.These are malaria also triggered by mosquito bites and schistosomiasis coming from parasitic worms lives in fresh water and sub-tropical regions where most rural residents gets water from poor condition and contaminated of open water sources. We are proud to say that Maguindanao is free of filariasis,” he said. Maguindanao has high accomplishments in mass drug administration against filariasis.” Our focus now is against malaria,” he said. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)