ASSESSMENT OF PARTICIPANTS’ PERCEPTION ON THE USE OF MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION IN COMMUNITIES ENDEMIC TO WUCHERERIA BANCROFTI COBBOLD, 1877 IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is one of the neglected tropical diseases that cause permanent long term disability inform of hydrocoele, lymphoedema and elephantiasis that develop as a result of inflammation of the lymphatic system. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of lymphatic filariasis and perception of participants towards Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programme. The study was a community-based cross-sectional study for screening microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti in consenting participants. A total of 1010 participants’ from selected communities on the MDA programme in 5 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Bauchi, Plateau and Kaduna states were enlisted into to the study. The communities were chosen based on the presence of the people living with LF according to the signs and symptoms. A well-structured adapted questionnaire was administered to collect participants’ information and their perception of the MDA programme. Microflaria of Wuchereria bancrofti were identified based on the sheathed nuclear, caudal nuclei and bent tail in Parasitology and Entomology Research Laboratory, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-squared and odds ratio. Participants with knowledge (294/1010; 29.11%) of the MDA programme were less than those without knowledge (716/1010; 70.89%) of the MDA. Similar, the prevalence of LF was higher in participants with knowledge (26.87%) of the MDA than in those without knowledge (25.14%). The status of participation showed that, those that participated (380/1010; 37.62%) in the MDA were lower than those did not participants (630/1010; 62.38%); the infection in participants that did not partook in the MDA programme had higher prevalence (29.68%) of LF than those that participated. Participants gave various reasons for not being part of the MDA programme ranging from absent (177/1010; 17.53%) at the time of the campaign to side effect (2/1010; 0.20%) of the drugs after taking it. However, those that gave reasons for not participating because Community Drug Distributors (CDD) did not come, had highest prevalence (40.74%) of LF compared to those that gave reasons as side effect (0.00%) for not taking the drugs. Overall LF prevalence of 25.64% was found in this study. There is poor knowledge of MDA programme among the participants in the communities examined. Similarly, microfilaria was present in some participants despite the MDA campaign in the selected states. Intensive awareness campaign and drug distribution need to be carried out in most of the remote communities in the affected states. Furthermore, members of the communities must be part of the CDDs for acceptability and effectiveness of the campaign.