She said the disease is common in the area and the government has ordered the directorate to ensure that it was eradicated by the year 2020.

Filariasis is often manifested as swelling or thickening of one or both lower limbs.

Mrs Aryee said this when the Heart of Children Foundation-Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation presented medical equipment worth GHC 50,000 to the directorate at Nsoatre.

The items comprise electronic surgery beds, thermometers, syringes, wheel chairs, baby washers, BP apparatus and several devices that would be distributed among the various health centers and clinics in the district.

Mrs Aryee said the Ministry of Health has stepped up measures to eliminate filariasis which was still common in 26 districts of the country.

She said the Ministry would soon supply those districts with drugs to be distributed free of charge in the disease prone communities.

Mrs Aryee said strict adherence to the drugs is very necessary to combat the disease and rallied the support of community leaders and family heads to ensure that members of their families requiring the drug would finish the full dose.

Mr Solomon Boateng, the Director of the Foundation, which also operates a orphanage home at Nsoatre, said the NGO worked to promote health and education in the district.

He said the home had 16 inmates and very soon it would establish a modern disabled care center to offer skill training for people with disabilities in the area.

Mr Boateng, a philanthropist, expressed discomfort about high tariffs on imported goods and appealed to the government to take a second look at taxes imposed on items imported to be supplied free of charge.

Mr Martin Obeng, the Sunyani West District Chief Executive, expressed appreciation to the NGO, and advised the communities to support the effort.

He said the district assembly was poised to ensure equitable distribution of development projects in the communities and called on the people to preserve the prevailing peace in the area.