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USAG Congress 10 Nomination forms out. 
Elephantiasis is a disease that is characterized by the thickening of the skin and underlying tissues, especially in the legs, hands and genitals. It generally results from obstructions of the lymphatic vessels and most commonly caused by a parasitic disease known as lymphatic filariasis in which mosquito is a vector. Unfortunately, the worse affected communities by ignorance, over the years mainly attribute the cause to supernatural and spiritual factors. Elephantiasis is thus, perceived to be a disease of the poor and underprivileged and has received little attention in the past. People suffer from lymphatic filariasis to a great extent, but embarrassment, shame, cultural constraints and social taboos are some of the reasons that restrain them from reporting problems and seeking help. Majority are thus silently bearing the brunt of this disease. As a result there has been quite a number of family and social neglect paramount to issues related to marriage, concealment and leadership among many vices.
A socio-economic impact of elephantiasis investigated in a rural community in Northern Ghana, as part of a multi-country study revealed that the subjects, who were mainly farmers, were found to be materially very poor. They were unable to perform their normal activities.
The total absenteeism and the total number of working hours per day are influenced significantly by disease condition and other personal characteristics, namely age, sex and family type. The chronic patients lose over 50 per cent of the total working time of the year. This shows that the chronic conditions of lymphatic filariasis pose considerable burden on the patient, family and community, hence a big threat to the realization of the millennium development goals.
Unfortunately, the knowledge and literature relating to social, economic and clinical impacts of the disease is so sparse as to provide virtually no guidance on whether the disease should be accorded more importance in the national health programmes.
Putting together what little is known about the disease and also its socio-economic determinant, it becomes necessary that USAG is supported to improve on the knowledge and also help in the control of the wide spread of the dreadful pandemic.
The map below shows the Elephantiasis and Oncho co endemic Regions of Ghana
ELEPHANTIASIS ENDEMIC AREAS
Source: GHS
- Total at risk population is about 10 million (about half of Ghana’s population)