Feb. 25-29 is Leprosy Prevention and Control Week
The Department of Health (DOH) has declared February 25-29 as Leprosy Prevention and Control Week to deepen the awareness of the people on the disease, its prevention and cure.
The DOH said leprosy had exacted a high physical and social toll, which when left untreated, it can result in deformity and disability in many societies, people with leprosy have been made outcasts from their communities.
When the National Leprosy Control Program was established in 1986, there were 38,570 registered leprosy patients in the country, translated to a prevalence rate (PR) of 7.2 per 100 Filipinos.
By the end of 1998, with 7,005 registered patients and a PR of 0.90 per 10,000 population, leprosy was no longer considered as a public health problem by both the OH and the world Health Organization (WHO).
In 2004, a total of 2,120 new cases of leprosy were diagnosed and all were put under treatment with Multi-rug therapy (MDT) which can be availed of in any health center in the country.
Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae or leprosy bacilli and was believed to be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. Experts, however, said this was unlikely because M. leprae are not usually found on the skin's surface.
The mode of transmission is airborne, where a person can inhale droplets or spray from coughing and sneezing of untreated leprosy patient.
The DOH recommends immediate treatment, good nutrition, healthful living, enough rest and exercises and a clean environment for the prevention an control of leprosy. (PIA 6/ESS)