The health experts have urged to create awareness among public on treatment and prevention of leprosy disease to alleviate the sufferings of patients. According to them, it is a high time to encourage the flow of funds, which are imperative to take the cause of leprosy eradication from the country. They said in Pakistanleprosy control activities are being pported and sponsored by many government and non-governmental organisations for more than 40 years.
They said since the first effort to fight leprosy millions of people have been cured in 82 countries. They added this has been made possible due to the commitment of 14 members of the International Federation of Anti Leprosy Association and World Health Organisation (WHO). They said leprosy is common in the poorer regions of the world. Indiais home to nearly 70 percent of the leprosy cases, they added. Dr Wasim Khawaja from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) said leprosy is caused by a slow-growing bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae. It is transmitted via droplets from the nose and mouth of untreated patients with severe disease, but is not highly infectious, he added.
He said if left untreated, the disease can cause nerve damage, leading to muscle weakness and atrophy, and permanent disabilities. Dr Khawaja said leprosy can be easily treated with a 6-12-month course of multi-drug therapy. The treatment is highly effective, and has few side-effects and low relapse rates and there is no known drug resistance. He said leprosy, also called hansen’s disease, is a chronic and contagious disease. The initial symptoms of the disease show up as light, painless patches on the skin, adding, often, the lack of sensation in the area may cause the patient to completely neglect the initial symptoms, he added.
Dr Khawaja said as the disease advances, nerve damage along with other complication occurs. The lack of sensation in the limbs could cause wounds to worsen on the hands and feet. In later stages, deformities in the face and limbs become apparent which may cause the victim to face stigma and alienation from society, he added.
He said leprosy is classified into several types based on the bacterial load present in the lesions, the extent of skin and nerve involvement and based on the presence of deformities. Antibiotics are capable of annihilating the bacteria and within a few months of treatment, the disease can be completely cured, he added. He said patients can avoid several complications, if the disease is diagnosed early while in the event of complications.