HOW DOES DEC SALT FIGHT FILARIASIS?
Recently, the Ministry of Health in collaboration
with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), The United States-based
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, The United Nations
Children’s Fund and The World Health Organisation (WHO),
launched Guyana’s national Filariasis programme. This is
in keeping with the 2015 deadline for the Americas for the disease
to be fully eradicated.
The campaign will be carried out through the use of DEC salt.
It is the aim of local Health Officials, for DEC salt to replace
ordinary iodised cooking salt in local households. It will contain
Di-Ethyl Carbamazine (DEC), the agent which combats the worms
that for Filaria.
Some important characteristics of DEC
salt:
· DEC Salt is regular salt fortified with
DEC, which kills the thread-like worms that live in the blood
· DEC Salt will not make you sick. It
is safe and there are no side effects
· DEC Salt should be used as you currently
use salt when preparing and cooking food
· DEC Salt does not change the flavour
of food. It is also iodised
· DEC Salt prevents people from becoming
infected with the disease (Filaria). However, it will not cure
persons showing signs of the disease
Health Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said at
the launching of the programme, that it is his Ministry’s
intention to achieve the goal of eradicating Filaria by 2010.
Guyana is the First country worldwide to embark on a Filariasis
campaign by introducing DEC salt nationally. DEC Salt is sold
at Supermarkets country wide at $20.oo per pound.
TOP
Monday, August 11, 2003