LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS TRANSMISSION ASSESSMENT SURVEY IN TECHIMAN NORTH DISTRICT

Transmission Assessment Survey started on 7^th June to 9^th June 2021 in the Bono East Region as part of activities to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in Ghana which did not exclude Techiman North been endemic area. 

A formidable team comprising of National NTD Coordinator, 2 Lab Technicians, 2 drivers, District SHEP coordinator and Disease control officer in charge of NTDs from the district were entrusted to the survey.

The objectives of the survey were to assessed for active transmission and detect any recrudescence for prompt response in Techiman North District.

Mr Alumatu Bright the NTD coordinator and also the leader of the team meet all the institutional heads including the team members, He explains to them the state of elephantiasis, the importance of the survey and the modus operandi of the survey. The three days survey targeted school children in class one and class two of which Ten schools were selected for the exercise and this selection was done from National NTDs Office,  with the help of the SHEP coordinator Mrs Iris all the ten schools were identified and grouped for easy accessibility.

The schools were; Savior D/A primary, Evangelical Church of Ghana (ECG) Preparatory, Mesidan LA primary school, Abrafi Islamic Basic School, Freeman Methodist School, Aworowa R/C primary, Offuman L/A Primary, Bonya KG Primary, Young Prophets Preparatory last but not the least is Aboabo DA Kg.

Two schools were visited on the first day 7^th, Savior D/A primary and ECG, after meeting all the teachers and other staff to explain our mission in the school, the main activity started, With the help of the class teachers the children were gathered in classrooms, we explain the procedures to do away with any fear since it involves pricking of the finger to take a blood sample for the test. In both schools, 135 and 8 pupils were tested respectively making a total of 143 samples, each sample was timed for 10 minutes to read the result. After elapsed time for each sample, none was positive, the leader of the team Bright discussed the results with the authorities he encouraged the student and all staff to constantly sleep under a mosquito net to prevent them from getting elephantiasis.

On the second day 8th June as early as 6:00 am the team was already on the field,  the selected schools for the day were Mesidan L/A, Abrafi Islamic Basic, Freeman Methodist and Aworowa R/C primary. All the schools were ready and patiently waiting for the arrival of the team, meeting the authorities in the school explanation to our visit was made clear to them, they did not hesitate to organize the children, again we explain the procedures to calm the children. In Mesidan L/A 68 pupils were tested, Abrafi Basic 69, Freeman Methodist 17, and Aworowa R/C 73 summing up 227 samples for day 2, all tested negative. The result was further deliberated to the staff and the pupils, education was given on the importance of using mosquito nets to prevent transmission of elephantiasis and that brought the curtains down for the day.

The last day for the transmission survey in Techiman North district was 9^th June 2021, schools visited for the day were Offuman L/A Primary, Bonya Kg Primary, Young Prophets, and Aboabo D/A KG. The heads of the schools with the staffs were gathered and waiting for our coming, on arrival we explain our motives and the procedures to them not excluding the pupils (class one and class two) total sample of 163 were tested with none been Positive, Offuman L/A 87, Bonya KG primary 44, Young Prophet 28, lastly Aboabo DA KG 4. 163 pupils were tested for all the selected schools in day three.

Summary of schools and test results

Date	Number of schools	Number of Samples tested	Test Result
7th June	2	143	All Negative
8th June	4	227	All Negative
9th June	4	163	All Negative
Totals	10	533	All Negative

Average of 53.3

 The Transmission assessment survey conducted in Techiman North District was successful with little challenge, in some selected schools the enrollment on the paper does not reflect with what was on the ground, the reasons being that the student has joined other schools, and this was affecting the average number tested.

 The district can now emphatically base on the survey conducted in the district that interruption of lymphatic filariasis transmission has been achieved and hence there is no active case in the district.

The distribution of Ivecmetin and albendazole in the endemic areas have become greatly beneficial to the district, Thanks to all the partners and NTDs coordinators who contributed immensely in the process to eliminate Lymphatic filariasis.