The Leprosy Mission (TLM) in Nigeria says that about 4000 new cases of leprosy cases are detected in the country annually while decrying stigma which has prevented leprosy elimination.
The National Director of TLM, Dr Sunday Udo stated this in message commemorating this year’s World Leprosy Day with the theme; Leprosy Elimination- Challenges Beyond Multi Drug Therapy (MDT), saying that out the detected cases, 12 per cent are children while more than 10 per cent have deformities.
He said “Beyond the MDT is the huge reality that people affected by leprosy and their families still suffer from the burden and consequences of leprosy; they are plagued by stigma, poverty, poverty, poor living conditions, exclusion, and very low government support.”
Udo reiterated TLM-Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring that all persons affected by leprosy have access to the necessary treatment, rehabilitation and care without prejudice and stigma.
“Leprosy is infectious but not contagious; it is only a person with untreated leprosy than can transmit the diseases. Once treated with antibiotics (Multi Drug Therapy), the person is free of the bacteria,” he explained.
Earlier in his address, the National Coordinator of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) Dr Gabriel Akan said through the effort of our partners and the government, as at 2012 Nigeria was able to reach the global elimination target for leprosy.
He said “We have one case of leprosy per ten thousand. We might want to beat our chest that it is all over, but we need concerted effort to eliminate leprosy in Nigeria.
“We want to identify these cases and bring them early enough for treatment to avoid the disabilities associated with the condition like loss of toes, fingers and other body parts. If we can bring them early enough all those deformities you notice them might not occur.”
Responding, Mohammed Ahmed, the Chairman of IDEA- a coalition of persons affected by leprosy, said the “difficulties we face due to stigma and discrimination include shame, low self-esteem, lack of access to education and credit, job loss, eviction from homes among other things.”
He said that the physical disabilities, the fear of infection and the false belief that leprosy is incurable are the root causes of the inhuman treatment that they face. (Leadership)
The National Director of TLM, Dr Sunday Udo stated this in message commemorating this year’s World Leprosy Day with the theme; Leprosy Elimination- Challenges Beyond Multi Drug Therapy (MDT), saying that out the detected cases, 12 per cent are children while more than 10 per cent have deformities.
He said “Beyond the MDT is the huge reality that people affected by leprosy and their families still suffer from the burden and consequences of leprosy; they are plagued by stigma, poverty, poverty, poor living conditions, exclusion, and very low government support.”
Udo reiterated TLM-Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring that all persons affected by leprosy have access to the necessary treatment, rehabilitation and care without prejudice and stigma.
“Leprosy is infectious but not contagious; it is only a person with untreated leprosy than can transmit the diseases. Once treated with antibiotics (Multi Drug Therapy), the person is free of the bacteria,” he explained.
Earlier in his address, the National Coordinator of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) Dr Gabriel Akan said through the effort of our partners and the government, as at 2012 Nigeria was able to reach the global elimination target for leprosy.
He said “We have one case of leprosy per ten thousand. We might want to beat our chest that it is all over, but we need concerted effort to eliminate leprosy in Nigeria.
“We want to identify these cases and bring them early enough for treatment to avoid the disabilities associated with the condition like loss of toes, fingers and other body parts. If we can bring them early enough all those deformities you notice them might not occur.”
Responding, Mohammed Ahmed, the Chairman of IDEA- a coalition of persons affected by leprosy, said the “difficulties we face due to stigma and discrimination include shame, low self-esteem, lack of access to education and credit, job loss, eviction from homes among other things.”
He said that the physical disabilities, the fear of infection and the false belief that leprosy is incurable are the root causes of the inhuman treatment that they face. (Leadership)
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