Lymphedema and Hydrocele Cases confirmatory assessment conducted from Dec 18-19, 2023

 

With the financial support of END FUND/RLMF, NaPAN, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Regional Health Bureaus and district health offices, successfully conducted a household census survey in 24 endemic areas from August 25, 2023, to October 25, 2023. This house-to-house morbidity mapping identified about 15,762 people with lymphedema (lower limb swelling) and 584 individuals with hydrocele (scrotal swelling).To understand and evaluate how accurately and correctly the Health Extension Workers (HEWs) identified the lymphedema and hydrocele cases as per the training they received, NaPAN has started facilitating an independent confirmatory assessment among randomly selected districts and respective identified LF cases.

To this end a confirmatory assessment has been conducted from December 18-19, 2023 among randomly selected 19 lymphedema and 4 hydrocele cases in Jinka town (from Ari Zone) and Bena-Tsemay district (from South-Omo Zone). The assessment was conducted by Dr. Arji Telo, a senior surgeon at Jinka General Hospital and confirmed that 84.2% of the selected lymphedemas and the selected hydrocele 100% were correctly matched, and the rest 15.8% was Poly arthritis and venous insufficiency. This evaluation will continue in the remaining 22 woredas.