The Sindh government will provide job opportunities to persons suffering from leprosy, said Sindh Minister for Health, Dr Sagheer Ahmed on Monday. The minister was chairing "World Leprosy Day" conference held at Government Leprosy Hospital, Mangopir.
"The government will initiate a programme where leprosy patients will be provided jobs as recommended by the hospital," he said. Addressing the hospital budgetary issues, Dr Ahmed said that the current budget for the hospital of Rs 30 million would be exempted from any sort of contraction, in the wake of recent budget cut by the provincial government.
He mentioned that the government is looking forward to transforming the Leprosy Hospital into "Institute of Infectious Diseases", specialised in all common infectious diseases ie dengue, bird flu and tuberculosis. MS Government Leprosy Hospital, Dr Muhammad Ali Abbasi, said that more than 55,000 patients of Leprosy are registered every year therefore, awareness should be created about the prevention of the disease. He said that Leprosy is a curable disease if detected in early stages and could be cured in 6 months to 2 years.
Dr Ahmed also announced that an ambulance would be provided to the hospital by 2011-2012 and the boundary wall of the hospital would be constructed. He praised the working of the 116 years old institution for providing proper treatment to the patients. He also instructed the media to pay special attention on the issues lepers were currently facing. District Co-ordinating Officer (DCO) Karachi Muhammad Hussain Saeed, Dr Ashraf Siddiqui, Nurse Shaukat and Secretary Health Hasidim Raza also attended the conference.