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Teen Drug Rehab – How Parents Can Help

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No parent wants to have a teen that is addicted to drugs or alcohol or have to place them in a teen drug rehab center. Putting your teen in this type of center is probably going to be one of the most difficult things you as a parent will ever do. Yes, you are glad they are getting the help that they need now but what will the future hold. When they leave drug rehab there are strategies that you can use to help yourself, your teen, and your family work through the challenges of the drug rehab process.

On your teen’s life, substance abuse can have a long-term, divesting impact n their lives. This is why it is so important to do everything that you can to help them overcome their addiction.

Learn what you can about addition

Addition, or substance abuse, is a broad category. It can include prescription medications, alcohol, and illicit street drugs. Each one of these can have its own impact on your teen’s mental and physical health. You can help by educating yourself about their specific addiction, which will help you understand more about this addition’s recovery process. This will help you to be prepared in terms of what to expect in regards to their recovery process in the weeks, months, and years ahead.

Do not let your teenager be in charge

Teens can be manipulative and headstrong and try to convince you that they should leave teen drug rehab early. They may tell you that they have learned their lesson but if you do not comply and get them out early, they may vow not to speak to you again. You can expect all types of tactics that can include threats, crying, begging, and cold silences. Listen to your teen and tell that you love them and that you placed them in a teen drug rehab center to save their life.

Be active in therapy

Generally, during their stay they will have family therapy so make it a top priority to participate actively in these sessions. Make it a top priority and attend all sessions. In these therapy sessions you will learn how to work your teen and not against your teen so you can help them have the best chance for a successful recovery.

When discharged, have a plan

Substance abuse is a chronic condition and treatment in a teen drug rehab is just the first part of the recovery process. Work with the drug rehab center to create a plan entry back into the real world. Before discharge make sure that they know the house rules clearly, which can include stricter curfews, expectations in regards to behavior and school, scheduled chores and the consequences if not followed.

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Source by Lora Davis

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July 23, 2022
Study Links Drug Use to High Rates of Syphilis

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A connection between drug use and high syphilis rates in the United States was established by a recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sarah Kidd, lead author of the report, pointed out that two major health issues, namely addiction and syphilis, seemed to be colliding with each other.

The report displayed a connection between drug use and instances of syphilis in heterosexual men and women. As per the report, the usage of heroin, methamphetamine, and other injection drugs by the aforementioned group almost doubled from 2013 to 2017.

The report however, did not display a similar increase in drug abuse in gay men suffering from syphilis. According to the researchers, the results of the study indicated that risky sexual behaviors associated with drug abuse may be one of the key driving factors for this increase in syphilis among the heterosexual population.

People using drugs more likely to engage in unsafe sexual activities

According to experts, people abusing drugs are more likely to engage in unsafe sexual activities, thereby making them more susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Syphilis significantly increased among heterosexuals especially during the ‘crack cocaine epidemic’ prevalent during the 1980s and 1990s. It was observed that during this particular time period, the usage of drugs was connected with the higher transmission rates of syphilis.

According to Patricia Kissinger, professor epidemiology at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, it is common tendency among people abusing drugs to indulge in unprotected sex, exchange sex in lieu of money or drugs, and have multiple sex partners. All these are considered as significant risk factors contributing to the spread of the disease.

Syphilis rates are setting new records

At the national level, the occurrences of syphilis jumped by around 73 percent at an overall level and 156 percent in case of women patients between 2013 and 2017. While syphilis had been almost eradicated, of late, the highest resurgence of the disease was reported in California, Louisiana, and Nevada. Syphilis can be treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated, it can cause organ damage and even death in some cases. In women, congenital syphilis typically occurs when a mother transmits the disease to her unborn baby, leading to cases of premature birth and newborn fatalities.

Analyzing the syphilis cases that occurred between 2013 and 2017, the researchers discovered that methamphetamine abuse was the biggest contributor. The report revealed that more than one-third of women and a quarter of heterosexual men suffering from syphilis were reported to be abusing methamphetamine within the last year. The California Department of Public Health reported that methamphetamine use by people suffering from syphilis, doubled in case of heterosexual men and women between 2013 and 2017.

Why is it difficult to treat sexually transmitted infections?

Owing to the overlapping instances of substance abuse and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it becomes challenging to identify and treat people suffering from syphilis. That is because, typically, people using drugs are less likely to visit a doctor or report their sexual activities or partners.

Likewise, pregnant women may refrain from seeking prenatal care and get themselves tested for syphilis owing to concerns such as their gynecologists reporting their drug abuse. To combat this issue, the CDC urges to bring about more collaboration between programs treating substance abuse and programs addressing STIs.

Fresno County reported highest rate of congenital syphilis

According to the report, the highest rate of congenital syphilis was reported in Fresno County in California. The county’s community health division manager, Joe Prado, said that the California Health Department analyzed around 25 congenital syphilis cases in 2017 and more than two-thirds of these women were abusing drugs.

To address this issue, the country took proactive measures such as offering STD testing for patients getting admitted into inpatient drug treatment centers. Patients coming back for reports were provided incentives including gift cards. Apart from this, for patients undergoing drug treatment, the county offered a care package comprising of contraceptives and education materials about STIs.

Challenges faced

While it is significant to have an increased collaboration between STD clinics and drug treatment providers, it is not always that simple, since these two entities have not worked together previously. Usually both these units tend to focus only on their relevant specialties and often fail to screen people for associated ailments like syphilis or other forms of STIs or for drug abuse.

According to Jeffrey Kalusner, professor of medicine and public health at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in order to fight the rising rates of syphilis more resources are needed. He added that though policies can be implemented towards syphilis testing, these policies need to be accompanied with appropriate resources.

Seeking treatment for drug abuse

Drug abuse is often associated with the development of physical ailments like hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), syphilis and other STDs. These infections can be severe and result in rapid deterioration of overall health. The best way to avoid the contraction of these diseases is to avoid taking drugs or if addicted, to seek addiction treatment help at the earliest.

The drug rehab centers of Hillside Mission offer comprehensive evidence-based treatment plans for substance abuse. Whether selecting an inpatient, outpatient, or a residential plan, the detox process at Hillside Mission is designed to minimize the patient’s discomfort and result in a shorter treatment cycle.

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Source by Susan Navarez

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July 22, 2022
Phentermine: An Effective Drug for Weight Loss in an Organic Way
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Weight gain and obesity is a major problem these days, and the basic reason behind it is a bad lifestyle. However, with proper diet, calorie counting, and exercise one can reduce their weight effectively if one follows a strict routine. But many times it is seen that losing weight can be a lot more difficult, and in that case, one can take help of some of the best weight loss drugs. One such weight loss drug is phentermine, and it is used along with a regular diet which is strict on sugar and fat and daily exercise.

About phentermine

Phentermine is a weight loss supplement or drug which is approved by the FDA, which can be found in the form of phentermine pills from authentic online stores. Initially, it was combined with some other weight loss drugs and formed a supplement called fen-phen. It is very similar to the amphetamine and should be used in a controlled way. Sometimes phentermine is combined with topiramate to make it more effective.

It is usually used for a certain time period, and the most common dosage time is of 12 weeks. With regular consumption of this drug, one can lose from 5% to 10% of the body fat for an overweight or obese person whose BMI is either more than 27 or 30 in case of obesity.

After gradual use one can see their weight decreasing, lessening of the circumference of their waist and even control over blood sugar level.

Working of phentermine

This drug is basically effective in reducing one’s appetite, means it is an appetite suppressant. In medical term, they belong to anorectics class. Now that these drugs reduce one’s appetite, a person will eventually eat less and will have less cravings of unhealthy and fatty foods. Phentermine reacts on the neurological level, as it can increase the concentration of neurotransmitters in the body. Increased levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine lead to loss of hunger and cravings in a person. One can get the diet pills phentermine prescribed online by an authentic website easily and hence can start their routine as soon as possible.

Benefits

Now that getting phentermine no prescription is so easy and can be found everywhere, one should be careful with them too as it is quite easy to develop a resistance towards it.

But if taken in proper doses and for a fixed time period they can have their benefits too. Some of such benefits are:
- One can attain their target body weight, which leads to a happy and healthy lifestyle and also helps in preventing various diseases which are caused due to obesity.
- Now one will not have to undergo medication for a longer time period as phentermine shows result within a short term only.
- Unlike other prescription drugs, it will not make anyone feel tired and exhausted.
- And the biggest advantage of phentermine is that after stopping the prescription dosage one will not gain unnecessary weight just like other stimulants and weight loss drugs in the market.
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Source by Shalini M

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July 21, 2022
How to Prevent and Overcome Prenatal Alcohol and Drug Exposure

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Drug and alcohol abuse is one among the major challenges of an expecting mother. This usually has a lot of negative effects on the fetus during birth and can lead to other bigger problems in life.

To light up the issue associated with the use of drug and alcohol during pregnancy, a week has been launched to create awareness about this growing problem. Alcohol, drug, and pregnancy should not go together are the main scope of this event. Every year the Alcohol & Drug-Related Birth Defects awareness week starts on the 13th of May and will continue until the 19th. This awareness week targets mainly on the childbearing women whose age ranges from 15 years to 45 years.

It is not fair for an innocent soul to be punished because of its mother's poor decision. More babies could be prevented if their mothers are not indulged in drug and alcohol abuse. When mothers take proper care during their pregnancy, some problems, namely: low birth weight, the improper diameter of the head, age-related developments, epilepsy can be avoided.

Only some women will intake alcohol even after knowing about their pregnancy, whereas many are unaware that they are pregnant until their 4th to 6th week and consumption of these during that time might have already done enough damage to the fetus. Since all the women want to have a baby at some point in life, it is advice for mothers to quit using them if they are trying to get pregnant. Using any amount of drugs and alcohol is considered unsafe during pregnancy.

How to overcome prenatal alcohol and drug exposure

It is a must for everyone to attend the events related to this week to educate yourself and your family members know about the seriousness of it. Listed below are some ways to overcome the prenatal and drug exposure:

Join hands with your community members, nearby hospitals to create an awareness event. Seek attention from the wide range of audience by choosing the most attractive giveaway items. Some of them include caps, pocket pins, finger rings, wristbands. The interesting thing about choosing them is, they can be customized with personalized messages about the event.

Design posters, banners, templates related to the event and distribute it for free. Make use of the social media websites and popularize the events. Ideas include creating chat groups on Facebook, hashtags in Twitter and posting pictures related to the event on Instagram.

To be precise avoid drugs if you are wanting to get pregnant, that's the only way you can protect your child from the havoc caused by the usage of drugs. Since, it is easier for others to comment about the use of alcohol, for the sufferer, it is not really easy to come out of it. Speak with your healthcare professional and look after the ways to refrain yourself from using it. Also, you can find many counseling centers in and around your community to help people deal with such problems. Ideas discussed here are not based on the opinions or suggestions from a medical practitioner. Please check with your healthcare provider to get more information about this serious issue.

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Source by Billie Jean Bateson

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July 20, 2022
How to Organize Your Medicine Cabinet

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Just like your own closet, medicine cabinets can be quite a mess sometimes, especially if you have lots of medicines stored.

These days, with the pharmaceutical industry booming, you can find a wide variety of medicines sold for different health conditions. Companies competing against one another while consumers are on the go for searching the best medicine brand to buy other there for their health problem.

You may be one of those people out there who is facing a dilemma when it comes to organizing medicines properly in the medicine cabinet. At times, when you have lots of medicines already stored, it becomes harder to find the medicine you are looking for when necessary. This could be due to a lot of different factors, such as inappropriate labeling, expired medicines piled up, and so on and so forth.

Yet despite of that, there are still ways to make your medicine cabinet organize and neat again. There is no need to spend money or hire someone to do it for you. It is very easy and you can do it in an instant. The following are some of the tips you can consider to organize your medicine cabinet well:

Color Code

Why not apply color coding method when handling your medicines? If there’s a lot in the family who is taking medicines, then try to classify each one of them according to color. You may want brands to be grouped separately or put a color on each medicine to separate them according to date and time of administration. It totally depends on you. You are the best person who knows how to color code your medicines best.

Medicine containers

A medicine cabinet can become so messy at times, especially if all the medicines aren’t placed well in separate containers.

You may want to organize your medicines according to their form by placing them in different containers. For example, all tablets will be placed in a different container and same goes with liquid medicines.

This way, it would be easier to find and pull out a medicine you need at the moment because you already know where you placed it.

These days, you can find various types of medicine containers available for sale. You can buy them in the department store or at your local drug store. You can do a DIY too if you like.

Label each container

Even though you place all your medicines in separate containers, it would still be hard to search for each if they are not labeled properly.

Don’t forget to label each container according to the categories you have made. Label each container correctly and clearly.

Labeling containers does not have to be hard and complicated. Just cut a small piece of paper, just appropriate to the size of the container, and then stick it on the front, then mark it with a pen. You can even be as creative as you would like and put some colors, stickers, and some cute decorations on the container or label to add more beauty to the space.

Clean your medicine cabinet

Make sure to clean your medicine cabinet every so often. You need to constantly check for expired or damaged medicines and throw them away right away. Of course, you also need to dispose each expired medicine properly according to the disposal instruction written on the label.

By cleaning your medicine cabinet, you need to wipe out dirt and dust. This will ensure that all your medicines remain to be in good condition.

Honestly, cleaning your medicine cabinet every so often would pose more benefits because doing so will prevent your cabinet from smelling bad, especially with expired medicines that not thrown away. Aside from that, this will keep the potency of your usable medicines.

Have enough space

While it is important to make use of the storage spaces available in your medicine cabinet, occupying the entire space without enough room for your hands to move inside would really be bothersome.

Make your medicine cabinet tidy and well organized by not stocking too many items inside, especially those that do not belong to this type of storage space. Even the way you place the containers should be taken into consideration so that they will not all look jumbled up.

If you think organizing your medicine cabinet is hard, you need to think again. Follow these simple tips and you would surely not regret it.

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Source by George Patt

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July 20, 2022
Ways Schools Can Fight A Drug Menace

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A combination of factors, including the ease with which drugs can be procured, alienation and peer pressure, is driving American teens toward their abuse. As a result, adolescents in high school and college do drugs on the sly. In dorm and frat parties, it has become customary to pool all drugs – stolen from elder's medicine cabinets, or procured from vendors or pill mills – before going on the adventure ride of a collective high. However, this fun and adventure comes at a cost. As most teens doing drugs are aware of the implications of the misdemeanor once caught, they do not report to the authorities in case a peer overdoses, resulting in tragic loss of young lives.

The problem of drug abuse has spread its deadly tentacles across schools, posing a significant threat to the future of children in terms of impact on their health, academics, career and personal life. In the wake of such a serious implication on the future of the society, many schools, despite the paucity of funds, have put together programs for spreading awareness and keeping drug abuse under check. While some approaches rely on prohibition and punishment, others stress on education and rehabilitation. The objective is to keep drugs off the campus and establish a solid foundation to empower individuals to resist such temptations.

As youngsters prefer engagement to long boring lectures, some of the means adopted by the schools are as follows:

Disseminating knowledge through antidrug assemblies : Antidrug assemblies are engaging means to showcase the grim consequences of drug-seeking habit. With addiction treatment doctors and recovering patients turning up as guest lecturers, students can have a realistic picture of how drugs take them away from their loved ones and cause impairment of cognitive skills, such as difficulty following instructions. Students get the opportunity to clarify their doubts during such sessions.

Educating children as early as possible : Considering the fact that most youths start doing drugs, smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol in school days, or when they are on the cusp of adolescence, it is the best time to drive home the dangers of doing drugs and other addictive substances.

Conducting self-reliance programs : Children who are confident about themselves are less likely to take drugs. Therefore, some programs stress on building the child's self-reliance in all sorts of social situations. This helps them even under adverse peer pressure to not succumb to the temptation of doing drugs and say no to such activities firmly. Such programs are effective even in the long run as they teach children some essential life skills necessary for abstaining from drugs, alcohol, etc.

Stocking antidotes : As it makes no sense to shy away from the truth that youngsters, especially those in college, will be doing drugs irrespective of the controls, authorities are advised to stock up their supply of opioid overdose antidote naloxone.

Engaging children from families grappling with addiction : Instead of isolating a child with a problematic family, including members addicted to drugs, it is essential to engage him or her in all school or college activities. Irrespective of whether the child reports late to school or has problems with homework, a concerned and supportive school environment will mitigate the chances of the child falling into the same addiction cycle. Children of drug addicted families could also participate as guest lecturers in antidrug assemblies.

Focusing on building teen assertiveness : With the help of a trained child counselor and other professional services, schools could focus on providing training to teens to develop their assertiveness and emotional control level. This is not only handy in career building, but could also help the teen realize his or her worth. Teens who feel sad and befuddled have greater risks of taking drugs to feel successful or empowered.

Get help for drug addiction

Children run the increased risk of falling into the trap of drug addiction due to their emotional vulnerability and undeveloped brain still in the process of developing the key cognitive skills. It becomes essential for parents and teachers to listen and talk to their fears and emotional upheavals, rather than ignoring them as their tantrums.

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Source by Barbara Odozi

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July 19, 2022
Importance Of Medicine In Our Daily Lives

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Medicine is considered as one of the most important necessity to all of us. It is derived from the Latin words ars medicina meaning “the art of healing”. It is a branch of the health sciences and is the sector of public life concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, treatment and possible prevention of disease, injury and other damage to a body or mind.

It is both an area of knowledge, a science of body system and their diseases and treatment. This branch of science encompasses treatment by drugs, diet, exercise and other nonsurgical means. It is also used to maintain our health. An agent such as drug is used to treat disease or injury. There are different types of medicine, we have herbal medicine, which came from different kinds of plants, medicines treat in hospital and etc. Herbal medicine, also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine, refers to use of any plant’s seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes. Long practiced outside of conventional medicine, herbalism is becoming more mainstreams as up-to-date analysis and research show their value in the treatment and prevention of disease. Some of us believe in herbal medicines, for it is pure came from plants and no other ingredients. Herbal medicine also uses for cough, fever, toothache and some other diseases that might catch from our environment. Herbalists treat many conditions such as asthma, eczema, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue, and an irritable bowel syndrome among others. Plants had been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history. For most herbs, the specific ingredient that causes a therapeutic effect is not known. Whole herbs contain many ingredients and it is likely that they work together to produce the desired medicinal effect

Some medicines may cause problems if you take them with other medicines. This is why it is important to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the medicines you are taking. And some medicines can cause problems, even if you take them correctly. Call your doctor or pharmacist if you think your medicine is making you feel worse. We take medicine to make us feel better when we are sick.

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Source by Jennifer Alinio

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July 19, 2022
Instant Drug Test – What Are They?

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This form of drug testing does not have to be sent to the lab for professional analysis. The results appear quickly after being done. This type of drug test can be advantageous in a workplace. This instant drug test can be used if an employee is hurt on the job. It will show if the employee was under the influence of an illegal drug causing the employee to be careless and cause the accident. It is often used in a drug treatment program to see if anyone in the program is lying about the m using illegal drugs. It is also used in probation offices to check those on probation for illegal drug usage.

This test may screen for only one illegal drug like opiates or marijuana but some of them test for several drugs at the same time. An instant drug test may feature parameters or panels, which will tell how many substances the test will screen for. Some of the common instant tests are five panel, ten panel, and three panel. The test that is considered more comprehensive is the ten panel. It will screen for about ninety-five percent of all illegal drugs. This includes methamphetamines, marijuana, opiates, and cocaine.

These drug tests can be done in different ways but the one that is used the most is the urine instant drug test. When it screens the person’s urine, it screens for the metabolites in the urine and not the presence of any particular drug. These metabolites exist only because of a drug that a person might be using. These can test a person’s blood, hair, saliva, and even sweat, too.

In addition to testing for illegal drugs, these tests can also test for recent alcohol consumption. A Breathalyzer® is a form of an instant drug test for alcohol. It uses a sample of a person’s breath to determine their blood alcohol content. There are blood and urine tests that screen for alcohol in the body along with alcohol strips. These are put in the mouth to identify if the person has drunk alcohol.

The time a drug can be detected accurately is called the detection period. These time periods vary with each illegal drug because each illegal drug is metabolized at different rates by the body. Marijuana is detected in the urine up to thirty days after smoking it. This is because it is stored in the fat cells of your body and takes longer to purge. Being a water-soluble substance cocaine is usually out of your system within seventy-two hours after using.

An instant drug test makes it harder to get a job and helps prevent employers from paying workers compensation for accidents due to the employee being under the influence of illegal drugs.

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Source by Lora Davis

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July 19, 2022
Indonesia firmly committed to eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem

Indonesia recently completed the last of its annual large-scale treatment for lymphatic filariasis (also known as elephantiasis or Penyakit Kaki Gajah) in Malaka District located in its southernmost province, East Nusa Tenggara. Unprecedented
progress by the National Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme has strongly placed the country on the path to achieving the elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.

“We reached an estimated number of 40.7 million people living in the 118 high-risk districts during this month-long treatment campaign in October 2019” said Dr Anung Sugihantono, who recently retired as Director General of Diseases
Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health Indonesia. “Single doses of diethylcarbamazine citrate and albendazole facilitated by WHO were delivered to all eligible populations.”

In 2010, an estimated 125 million Indonesians were still at risk of the disease and required treatment.

But things changed considerably in 2015 when Indonesia mounted an annual national campaign to resolutely address transmission of the disease and to tackle the morbidity and disability associated with it. The results were apparent as early as 2017, with
remarkable progress.

In Indonesia, LF is considered a significant public health concern. In 2009, risk mapping identified a population of 124.5 million people needing treatment for LF. The country initiated a national level LF elimination campaign in 2015, addressing both
disease prevention and management.

“In 2017 and in just two years we managed to achieve 100% geographical coverage of all people requiring treatment” said Dr Sugihantono. “It meant achieving more than 78% epidemiological coverage – much higher than the generally recommended 65% to stop transmission.”

Transmission of lymphatic filariasis can be stopped through large-scale treatment (or mass drug administration – MDA) of entire at- risk communities with recommended medicines once a year. These medicines kill the microfilariae in an infected patient’s
blood preventing mosquitoes to transmit¹ the disease to others. Through mass treatment, the aim is to reduce the reservoir of microfilariae in the blood to a level insufficient to maintain transmission by the mosquito vector.

This strategy to interrupt transmission is the corner-stone of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF). Indonesia has been using the GPELF’s strategy since 2002 using a district or city
as its implementation unit.

In 2005, it listed the elimination of LF as a national priority for controlling infectious diseases and the medicines it has been using in large-scale treatment programmes are diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) and albendazole² which are
largely distributed by volunteer community health workers³.

“Community health volunteers are themselves members of the community and know how to reach people effectively to improve compliance” said Dr. Stefanus Bria Seran, the Regent of Malaka District, one of LF endemic district in Indonesia. “Besides ensuring every single person ingests the medicine given to them, these community workers help in disseminating information well before a large-scale treatment campaign and also assist in reporting activities related to each treatment campaign”.

Indonesia’s efforts to eliminate lymphatic filariasis began in the 1970s but faced numerous challenges including programme coordination in the many inhabited islands, conducting information, education and awareness programmes, lack of capacity and
insufficient medicines.

Furthermore, the situation in Indonesia is unusual than in many other countries endemic for lymphatic filariasis as the country is endemic for all three species of thread-like filarial worms – Brugia malayi, Brugia timori, and Wuchereria bancrofti –
that cause the disease. Most of the infections in Indonesia, however, are caused by B. malayi.

In the past, some of the factors that prevented access to the medicines (DEC and albendazole) were social stigmatization linked to the disease, the vast geography of the territory and challenges in reaching remote populations.

With an estimated population of 242 million, Indonesia is the world’s largest island nation and consists of approximately 17,000 islands, of which 5,000–6,000 are inhabited. It is the fourth most populated nation behind China, India, and the United
States.

Indonesia is endemic for many other neglected tropical diseases and an estimated 110 million Indonesians are believed to suffer from at least one neglected tropical disease (NTD), including lymphatic filariasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections.
Leptospirosis (not classified as NTD) is also widespread.

Indonesia is the only country of WHO’s South East Asia Region with endemic schistosomiasis. Like many other countries of the Region, it also faces recurrent threats of dengue outbreaks.

Global progress

The world has made significant progress towards the elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.

Sixteen countries⁴ and one territory are now acknowledged by WHO to have achieved elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.

Seven additional countries have successfully implemented recommended strategies, stopped large-scale treatment and are under surveillance to demonstrate that elimination has been achieved.

The disease

Lymphatic filariasis is caused by infection with parasitic worms living in the lymphatic system. The larval stages of the parasite (microfilaria) circulate in the blood and are transmitted from person to person by mosquitoes.

Infection involves asymptomatic, acute, and chronic conditions. Most infections are asymptomatic, showing no external signs while contributing to transmission of the parasite. Although asymptomatic, these infections still cause damage to the lymphatic
system and the kidneys and alter the body’s immune system.

When lymphatic filariasis develops into chronic conditions it leads to lymphoedema (tissue swelling) or elephantiasis (skin/tissue thickening) of limbs and hydrocele (scrotal swelling). Involvement of breasts and genital organs are common.

Manifestation of the disease after infection takes time and can result in an altered lymphatic system, causing abnormal enlargement of body parts, and leading to severe disability and social stigmatization of those affected.

¹Lymphatic filariasis is transmitted by different types of mosquitoes – e.g the Culex mosquito which widespread across urban and semi-urban areas; Anopheles, mainly found in rural areas; and, Aedes, mainly
in endemic islands in the Pacific.

²In 2017, WHO recommended an alternative three drug treatment to accelerate the global elimination of lymphatic filariasis. The treatment, known as IDA, involves a combination of ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine citrate and albendazole.
It is recommended annually in settings where its use is expected to have the greatest impact.

³Community health workers, also called ‘cadres’, are volunteers who form part of the communities they serve and work with local
communities to educate families. Their contribution in promoting health has been significant in the country.

⁴Cambodia, The Cook Islands, Egypt, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Niue, Palau, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Wallis and Futuna, and Yemen

Read More
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/29-04-2020-indonesia-firmly-committed-to-eliminating-lymphatic-filariasis-as-a-public-health-problem

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May 9, 2020
Making available free paediatric medicine can accelerate elimination of congenital Chagas disease
The donation of an essential antiparasitic medicine can potentially accelerate the elimination of Chagas disease infection in children. A pediatric presentation of benznidazole with accurate dosage and will soon be made available freely to address
a long-standing gap in the treatment of congenital infections of Chagas disease.

The donation, by the Mundo Sano Foundation¹ and INSud Pharma² group to the World Health Organization (WHO), is expected to become effective soon.

“Making benznidazole freely available for the treatment of newborns and children until the age of 19 will be a game-changer in the fight against Chagas disease” said Dr Mwelecele Ntuli Malecela, Director, WHO Department of Control
of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “This can save future generations from developing life-threatening and fatal complications and also boost up diagnosis and treatment contributing to congenital Chagas disease elimination.”

The three-year agreement will make available 108 000 tablets of benznidazole³ – one of the two antiparasitic medicines against Chagas disease. Treatment⁴ with benznidazole in the early stages of infection can cure Chagas
disease, prevent or curb disease progression and prevent congenital transmission in pregnant women.

“We have now added the systematic detection and treatment of all newborns and children under 19 which was not part of our recent switch from control to elimination of congenital Chagas disease” said Dr Pedro Albajar
Vinas, Medical Officer, WHO Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “In addition, screening of pregnant women at risk of infection who have not had past antiparasitic treatment provides an excellent opportunity for prevention of posterior transmission throughout pregnancy and birth.”

Each year, an estimated 15 000 children are born from infected mothers.

The agreement

The donation by Mundo Sano Foundation for the duration of the agreement comprises benznidazole:
- 105,000 tablets of 100mg
- 3,000 tablets of 12.5mg
Furthermore, the Foundation may donate funds to support activities associated with distribution of medicines and is ready to consider extending this agreement beyond the specified duration of three years.

The disease

Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi).

Although considerable progress has been achieved, particularly in reducing vector transmission and screening of blood and organ supply, reaching, diagnosing and providing healthcare for people most affected has been a challenge.

Currently, under-diagnosis of Chagas disease cases is as high as 90% and under-diagnosis of congenital and paediatric cases is believed not to be lower.

Globally, an estimated 6-7 million people are infected with T. cruzi.

The disease is found mainly in endemic areas of 21 continental Latin American countries⁵. But movement of people to urban areas and to other continents has expanded its transmission through non vectorial routes, such as blood transfusion,
congenital transmission, organ transplants and oral transmission through food contamination.

Considering that neglected tropical disease as a growing public health problem in many countries, the World Health Assembly – WHO’s decision-making body – decided in May 2019 to commemorate World Chagas Disease Day on 14 April.

The inaugural celebration happens this year.

¹Mundo Sano is a nonprofit international foundation working with the public and private sectors, academia, and other international organizations to provide solutions to the affected communities and generate scientific knowledge.
In 2012, it led a public-private consortium in 2012 to produce benznidazole in Argentina.

²Insud Pharma (formerly known as Chemo Group) specializes in research, development, manufacture, sale and marketing of active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicinal products for human and veterinary use.

³In 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved benznidazole for the treatment of children aged 2–12, making it the first treatment approved in the United States for Chagas disease.

⁴Nifurtimox is also 100% effective in curing Chagas disease if given soon after onset of infection, including cases of congenital infection. It is donated by Bayer who pledged more than 7.5 million tablets for the period 2012-2021.

⁵Argentina, Belize, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela
(Bolivarian Republic of).

Read More
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/02-04-2020-making-available-free-paediatric-medicine-can-accelerate-elimination-of-congenital-chagas-disease

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April 8, 2020