Abdul Malek, 55, lives in a remote village in Gangachara, Rangpur. He used to work as a daily wage laborer, but now he has difficulty walking.
His right leg is abnormally swollen below the knee. The villagers call it ‘god’; in medical terms, it is lymphatic filariasis.
“Earlier I used to earn 400-500 taka a day. Now I can’t work at all.”
“I wash my feet, I keep them clean. But no one checks anymore,” Abdul Malek’s eyes got wet as he said these words.
Malek is not alone. According to the Department of Health, about 43,000 to 44,000 people in the country are still living with complications related to filariasis. Yet Bangladesh received international recognition for ‘eliminating’ the disease as a public health problem in May 2023.
However, reality shows that even after receiving recognition, maintaining achievements has now become a major challenge.
44 thousand living realities
According to the Department of Health, 43,000 to 44,000 people in the country are still suffering from complications related to filariasis. A large portion of them are affected by lymphoedema (swelling of the legs) and hydrocele.
According to public health expert Dr. Lelin Chowdhury, although filariasis is a direct cause of death, its long-term effects are very serious.
He said, “A person affected by this disease gradually becomes physically disabled. There is swelling of the hands and feet, difficulty in walking, and limitations in daily activities. As a result, a working person cannot earn money and fails to meet the needs of himself and his family.”