Highlighting that this integrated approach, coupled with high-level advocacy across allied ministries, would foster intersectoral convergence, Nadda said efforts are underway to integrate Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention (MMDP) services fully into Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) facilities for better access to self-care.He added that approximately 50 percent of cases of lymphedema, a chronic condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissues, receive MMDP kits annually.Nadda said that under the National Health Mission (NHM), there is a provision for hydrocelectomy surgeries, and the PMJAY scheme also includes the option of hydrocelectomy for beneficiaries.Close to 50 percent of hydrocele surgeries were conducted in endemic states in 2024, he said.He also highlighted that through these efforts, Arogya Mandirs would help in reducing the burden of LF, allowing affected individuals to lead healthier lives and promoting the vision of a disease-free India.In the meeting, the participants were provided an overview of the campaign, its objectives, the key strategic activities being undertaken, and the critical role of participating states in ensuring high coverage and compliance with the MDA program.He urged state health ministers and officials to involve other elected representatives, particularly Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies and Councils, as well as Panchayati Raj Institutions, and encourage their active participation in mobilizing communities to ensure the effective implementation of MDA activities.The goal of MDA is to reduce the spread of LF by eliminating the microscopic filarial parasites present in the bloodstream of infected individuals, thus preventing further transmission by mosquitoes.While the MDA medication is extremely safe and effective, it should not be consumed on an empty stomach, the ministry said. Additionally, children below 2 years of age, pregnant women, and seriously ill individuals should not consume these medicines.”All other eligible individuals should consume the medicine in the presence of a trained health worker to ensure proper consumption and avoid wastage or misuse,” the ministry said.The state health ministers who participated in the meeting included Satya Kumar Yadav (Andhra Pradesh), Ashok Singhal (Assam), Shyam Bihari Jaiswal (Chhattisgarh), Rushikesh Ganeshbhai Patel (Gujarat), Irfan Ansari (Jharkhand), Dinesh Gundu Rao (Karnataka), Rajendra Shukla (Madhya Pradesh), Mukesh Mahaling (Odisha), Mangal Pandey (Bihar), Prakashrao Abitkar (Maharashtra), and Brijesh Pathak (Uttar Pradesh).
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