Coverage and compliance to diethylcarbamazine in relation to Filaria Prevention Assistants in rural Puducherry, India.

India is committed to eliminate filariasis by 2015. To achieve this goal annual mass drug administration (MDA) of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) was launched in 2004 by the Government of India1,2. According to the guidelines, DEC should be administered under supervision to all people excluding children <2 yr, pregnant women and severely ill persons (noneligible). The recommended DEC dosage is one tablet (100 mg) to children of age 2–5 yr, two tablets for 6–14 yr age group, three tablets for those > 15 yr of age3. In Puducherry, MDA programme is successful with 97% coverage rate and the microfilaria rate decreased from 0.42% in 2004 to 0.05% in 20084. However, further success depends on effective communication strategy of the drug distributors to improve compliance2. DEC is distributed by filaria prevention assistants (FPA)–health workers, Anganwadi workers and volunteers such as women self help group members and Panchayat members. FPA are expected to ensure optimum consumption by: (i) enumerating family members; (ii) preparing them for MDA; (iii) administering DEC; (iv) ensuring supervised consumption; (v) referring subjects with side reactions to Primary Health Centre; and (vi) submitting report. We evaluated the adherence of filaria prevention assistants to the national guidelines. This information will be useful for future planning and training of FPA.