“…, I don’t think the disease is real, some people have just taken pictures to scare us to take the medications”: A qualitative study exploring perceptions about mass drug administration acceptance for lymphatic filariasis in Ghanaian communities

Abstract

Abstract Background Mass drug administration (MDA) is a means of delivering safe and affordable essential evidence-based interventions based on the principles of preventive chemotherapy, where various populations or sub-population groups are offered treatment without individual diagnosis. Several communities have been provided with MDA (i.e., Ivermectin and Albendazole) with the aim of eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) from Ghana. Notwithstanding the administration of 13 rounds of MDA from 2005 to 2019, the prevalence of LF as at 2020 in some communities is still high. The aim of this study is to explored perceptions about MDA acceptance for LF in Ghanaian communities. Methods A qualitative research design using a descriptive phenomenology and narrative inquiry was used in the study to either purposively or randomly select community members, patients, and community drug distributors in 12 communities in the Bono region of Ghana. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis in NVivo 12 software. Results The results show that chronic clinical symptoms of LF influenced community members’ perception and acceptance of the MDA intervention. Also, community members perceived that the acceptability and uptake of the MDA intervention could be improved by including patients in the programme, carrying out continuous education, and engaging in social mobilization activities in the communities. Conclusions There is an urgent need to educate and engage communities with regard to the critical role MDA intervention can play to eliminate LF from Ghana.