Special Secretary Health, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Noorul Eman has underlined the need of community sensitisation about the rare and complicated disease of leprosy and urged the need of societal support for the welfare of the helpless and neglected patients.
He was addressing as chief guest at a special ceremony arranged at heath directorate, Peshawar on the eve of World Leprosy Day on Saturday. The special secretary health urged welfare bodies to also give equal attention towards awareness and treatment of orphan diseases also. He appreciated the services of TB, Blindness and Leprosy Control Association for the wellbeing of leprosy patients. "It means that all are not left to the government and there is collaboration for the welfare of leprosy patients", he remarked. He urged the need of involving religious scholars, civic bodies and elected representatives in the fight against rare and fatal diseases.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Mohammad Arif, Patron in chief TB, Blindness and Leprosy Control Association said that leprosy is an old and dangerous disease, which is making its affectee handicap and snatch earning sources in the shape of deformation. He appealed to philanthropists to come forward for providing relief to the helpless patients. He also demanded government to implement the approved establishment plan of an operation theatre for leprosy at Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar.
Highlighting contributions of the association for treatment and rehabilitation of leprosy patients, he said that the body has been providing free plastic surgery facilities to the patients for the last 10 years. Mullah Mohammad, Leprosy Field Officer while elaborating signs and symptoms of the disease, said that that it is a dangerous nerve disease. "It results in deformation if left untreated", he cautioned. He went on to say that the disease could affect each and every part of the body.
The expert, however, said that leprosy is 100 percent curable and 39 clinics are available for its treatment in the province. He stressed the need of early diagnosis of the disease to avoid its complications. Expressing his views, Dr Ziaul Hasnain, DD PH, said that though WHO standard has been achieved in the province, still there were incidents of leprosy cases. He advised dermatologists to be aware of leprosy diagnostic skills to detect the disease in its early stage.
Dr Ikram Shah demanded of the govt to restore funds for leprosy control programme to make its surveillance system effective. Dr Akram Shah and Dr Jamal on the occasion regretted on the prevailing trend of focusing on common diseases and neglecting rare and dangerous illnesses.
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