News
Monday, January 28, 2013
Pakistan manages to control leprosyKARACHI: Government as well as people of Pakistan are urgently required to develop a sense of ownership for the “Leprosy Control Programme” so as to sustain efforts for elimination of the crippling disease.
Experts addressing a press conference here on Saturday arranged by Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC), to mark the 60th World Leprosy Day said Pakistan has successfully managed to control leprosy, since 1996.
“However, poor availability of locally generated funds, inadequate public awareness about the disease and lack of even simple diagnostic expertise among a significant majority of health care providers is emerging as a major problem,” they said.
Timely diagnosis and early as well proper treatment was cited to be the key for prevention of avoidable deformities, that often are of quite severe nature.
Founder-Member of MALC Dr. Ruth Pfau, (National Leprosy Specialist) Dr. Mutahir Zia, Director, Training and Community Development Dr. Ali Murtaza and Chief Executive Officer, MALC Mervyn Lobo were the speakers on the occasion.
The continuing prevalence rate for Leprosy are generally
even below the WHO recommended threshold, that is one in 10,000, however, this is up in Karachi with 1.69 per 100,000 population, still above the required figure.
MALC CEO, Mervyn Lobo mentioned that 80 percent of all fresh Leprosy cases are reported from Sindh, including 30 percent to 40 percent from Karachi.
This was attributed to mobility of population that restricted proper monitoring and follow-up of the patients.
Since its inception in 1950s, MALC has treated, absolutely free of cost, more than 56,000 patients suffering from Leprosy and is currently receiving around 400 new cases every year.
“A well knitted network of 157 control centres nationwide mostly in remote areas is functioning in close collaboration with the provincial governments,” said Lobo.
He, however, mentioned that this partnership with the government is restricted to sharing of infrastructure and man-power otherwise all logistics, transport facilities to do field survey and contact service alongwith provision for medicine are managed by MALC. The issue is that funding that are mainly provided by German community is dwindling and it is high time that our country manages to own the programme and run it on sustainable basis, he added.
Dr. Mutahir Zia appealed to the doctors and skin specialists to cooperate with MALC and provide necessary guidance to the patients to visit the centre.
“Equally important is public awarness that may help them shun unfounded myths and help patients reach the right place for timely treatment, he added. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk