The Federal Government has launched a four
year National Strategic Plan for leprosy and buruli ulcer control in Nigeria, with a goal to reduce the public health burden of these
diseases.
Minister
of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole formally unveiled the document at a news
briefing in Abuja ahead of the commemoration of the 2016 annual world leprosy
day observed globally, every last Sunday of January.
He
expressed optimism that the plan would help address stigma and discrimination
still heavily noticed against persons affected by leprosy.
The
Health Minister expressed hope that with proper implementation of the four
years National Strategic Plan for the control of leprosy which spans from 2016
to 2020, the disease burden would be reduced.
He said,
“This ancient disease has caused so much pains to humans with about 3,000 new
cases every year and more worrisome is the fact that its new manifestation also
affects children and this can be tied to socio- economic response and
healthcare challenges.”
The
National Director of TLM, Dr Moses Onoh, said the Mission is out to create
awareness about the disease so that people can understand its signs, symptoms,
prevention as well as treatment, based on the standard of the World Health
Organisation, WHO.
He said
referring to victims of the disease as lepers is derogatory and as such, the
proper way to define them is “persons affected by leprosy” as it is a disease
that can affect anyone and therefore called for good general hygiene as the
disease is caused by germs that reside and breed in dirty environments.
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