While the Kerala Health Department is gearing up to conduct the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programme of Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) tablets to eliminate filariasis on September 26, despite the reported deaths in similar MDA in Tamil Nadu, AP and Karnataka, Janarogya Prasthanam (People's Health Organization), a Kochi-based healthcare NGO, is planning major agitation against the programme.
Talking to Pharmabiz, Dr. Jacob Vadakkancheri, chairman of Janarogya Prasthanam said that the NGO would organize agitation against the campaign and would conduct widespread awareness programme in the state on the ADRs of the drug. A campaign involving media was done in Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram and will stage a demonstration before the health department office in Kochi on September 20. More agitations are being planned in other parts of the state as well, he added.
He alleged that it was evident that our State and Central Governments were instrumental in executing this 'human massacre planned by the western world.'
The State Government is going ahead with the programme of administering the dangerous tablets despite death of over 20 persons and causing serious health problems to over 2000 people in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Four deaths were reported in Gulbarga and Bidar districts of Karnataka in the MDA programme in that state on 5th of June. Nine people died in the Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh on 26th June, in the programme, kick started by the union minister of state for health and family welfare. More than 74 lakh DEC tablets were distributed free in that state. A few days ago about four to six people died and over 30 people were hospitalized in Tamil Nadu. All the state health departments concerned maintained the deaths could be due to other reasons or over dosage of the drugs. Detailed enquiries should be done why the state health departments distributed the drugs irresponsibly and why the state administrations did not take adequate precautions before administering the drug, even though people died in earlier programmes.
Though DEC is an old molecule and a proven drug, it should be administered only under expert medical supervision and depending upon the health status of individuals. Numerous authentic medical journals confirm the drug has wide spread reactions. The 447th page of the Current Index of Medical Specialties 2004 clearly say DEC could cause death inducing massotic reaction within two hours, like postural hypo tension, renal impairment, cardiac arrest, rashes, diarroehoea, headache etc. In a country like India, people having acute renal problems will approach a doctor only when the disease is manifested. When DEC is administered to these people, death could happen. Similarly, the drug should not be given to people prone to tension induced problems and excessively vulnerable to emotions, said Dr. Vadakkancherry.
"We challenged the health department officials to prove the drug is safe in an MDA programme with any authentic scientific data. We announced a cash award of Rs 1,00,001 to the state health secretary, other officials and the IMA which support them, if they prove the drug is safe. If so, we too shall consume DEC. But so far, none have responded," said the NGO leader.
He alleged the programme is part of a hidden agenda of the western world to reduce the population in Asia Pacific countries, and to help the cause of pharmaceutical multi nationals like GSK and Merck & Co. "How many countries in this world still follow the mandatory pulse polio and triple vaccine campaign? Now they are campaigning about new diseases and disease elimination campaigns to sell their drugs in third world countries. Our rulers, politicians and bureaucrats support them as they receive kickbacks in these schemes," elaborated Dr. Vadakkancherri.