The Rivers State Government has joined the rest of the World to commemorate the 2015 World Leprosy Day.
In an address made available to news men in Port Harcourt, Health Commissioner Dr. Tamunoiyoriari Parker said Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases in the world caused by Mycobacterium leprae germ.
“It is a chronic infection that targets the nervous system, especially the nerves in the cooler parts of the body such as the hands, feet, and face,” he said.
According to the Commissioner, the earliest sign of leprosy is a light skin patch that usually has a loss of feeling adding that it can be transmitted from an infected person to his contacts through droplets.
Dr. Parker disclosed that early detection and placement on treatment effectively breaks the transmission and prevents the permanent deformity usually associated with leprosy.
“We have continued to see cases of Leprosy, even in children which is an indication of active leprosy transmission. In 2013 the Rivers State Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme recorded 19 new cases of Leprosy, and in 2014 we saw 12 new cases. 7 out of these 12 new cases presented with physical disability classified as Grade 2 disability” he said.
The Commissioner noted that this is an indication of seeking of health care late due to low awareness of the disease among the populace including health workers, stressing that currently 14 patients are enrolled for treatment using the effective drug combination called Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT).
He disclosed that late reporting for treatment by persons affected by leprosy pose a greater social challenge even after they had been successfully treated with the MDT.
“These persons can come down with what we called severe leprosy reaction which could be mistaken for a reactivation of the leprosy. They are also physically debilitated and become economically disempowered, isolated and even ostracized from the society. Leprosy should be treated equally like others and let us end the stigma and discrimination against them,” he said.
He stressed the need to intensify the fight against leprosy and maintained that persons affected by leprosy must be treated humanely and given the necessary support to survive in the society.
“Leprosy is treated free of charge in all the 23 LGAs of the State. I use this opportunity to call on the good people of Rivers State to visit the Government Primary Health Centers for symptoms suspicious of leprosy where the Local Government TB and LEPROSY Supervisors are on ground to link up the patient for diagnosis and treatment”, Dr. Parker stressed.
It would be recalled that World Leprosy Day is observed internationally on the last Sunday of every January. This day was chosen in commemoration of the death of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India who took a keen interest on the plight of persons affected by leprosy.
The World Leprosy Day was initiated in 1954 by a French philanthropist and writer, Raoul Follereau, as a way to raise global awareness of this ancient disease and call attention to the fact that it can be prevented, treated and cured. In Nigeria, the theme for this year is: ‘Leprosy Elimination: The Challenges beyond MDT.
