Department of Dermatology, University Medical & Dental College Faisalabad organised a seminar on "Leprosy - a neglected disease, Challenges in diagnosis and treatment" in context with "World Leprosy Day".
Guest speaker Dr Chris Schmotzer, Medical Director "Aid to Leprosy Patients" and a member of Technical Advisor Group of Leprosy for WHO, urged the diagnosis of the disease as early as possible and treatment of all patients adequately to prevent and mitigate disability.
Briefing about the Leprosy control in Pakistan, Dr Chris said that Leprosy is a chronic, slightly infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, mainly affecting skin and nerves.
Leprosy was controlled in Pakistan in 1996. Its incidence is around 3 in 1 million here. In Pakistan 793 patients were under treatment in 2010, she said.
India has the highest number of leprosy patients in the world. Brazil, Indonesia and Bangladesh are the countries where number of patients is higher after India.
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