World Leprosy Day today. This year's theme is “Beat Leprosy: Ending Stigma, Embracing Dignity”. Leprosy is a bacterial disease and is completely curable with proper treatment. Leprosy clinics run by government hospitals and NGOs in the country provide free treatment for the disease. Although, the disease is completely curable but a vaccine for this disease has not yet been discovered.
Although there is a target to make Bangladesh leprosy free by 2030, the number of leprosy patients is not decreasing as expected. Leprosy patients are regularly detected in many border districts. Physicians are advised to emphasize more searching programs to eliminate this neglected disease. The government is also taking a new plan with NGOs and the World Health Organization (WHO).
If there are more than 5 lepers per lakh population, the area is considered as red zone by health department. One of the 10 such red marked districts is Meherpur, a border district. Leprosy patients are constantly being detected in the district. So far, six lepers have received paralysis. Neglected, this terrible disease has taken away their normal life. Even if they get better with long-term treatment, they carry the marks for the rest of their lives. People suffering from leprosy are mentally broken. Relatives were separated even from their own families. In addition to treatment, the patients demand that leprosy rehabilitation centers be built in these districts.
According to the information of the Meherpur district civil surgeon office, according to the official calculations, according to the current data of 2023 in Meherpur district, 47 people have been identified in a dire condition, of which 17 people are currently undergoing treatment. According to a survey by the Leprosy Mission International, a non-governmental organization working on leprosy, the number is higher, they claim.
Shondha Mondol, a health worker of a private organization working with leprosy, said that although leprosy is cured by proper treatment, there are also many obstacles. The detection process of new leprosy patients is still insufficient, the incidence of leprosy appears to be high in the districts bordering India. These districts have already been declared red zone, namely, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Jaipurhat, Moulvibazar and Meherpur.
Noyel Tappa AEP, Project Manager of the Leprosy Mission International, Bangladesh, said that if it is not possible to identify leprosy patients in all villages of the district with adequate training of community clinics and health workers in remote areas, then its spread will be terrible. But the government has no budget allocation in this regard with which such initiative can be taken. He also said that there should not be one TLCA post in all sub-district health centers, but even if a unit can be kept in medical colleges, then these neglected patients can get treatment for this disease. There are only three TLCAs in Bangladesh. Complex treatments of the disease are carried out with foreign assistance in three hospitals specialising in eros in Mohkhiali, Nilphamari and Sylhet. He urged the government to detect leprosy patients through more scanning.
Abdus Samad (28) of Khanpur village of Meherpur Mujibnagar upazila is now unable to see in his left eye due to lack of treatment. He said, because there is no problem in the body, I did not give importance to this disease at the initial stage.
Acting Civil Surgeon of Meherpur Dr Alok Kumar Das said that leprosy is more common in families living in poverty-stricken and densely populated areas. Also, the disease is more common in family members who have a history of the disease. Leprosy spreads through sneezing and coughing.
The germs of this disease remain dormant for many days. The initial symptoms are the appearance of pale patches on the skin, which look like small rashes on the skin. The skin becomes dry and hard. Sores on the bottom of the feet. Swelling in some areas of the mouth or ears. Eyelids and eyebrows fall off.
Numbness is felt in the infected area and sweating occurs. Many are crippled. Muscles become weak. Affecting the facial nerve increases the risk of blindness.
Lack of awareness and not telling the doctor about the disease is the main obstacle to its treatment. In the meantime, the health department has undertaken a program to identify the disease.
He also said that the health department is working to reduce the number of people affected by this disease to zero. He said, Leprosy or Hansen's disease is caused by Mycobacterium Leprosy. It is an infection of the skin and nerves. This disorder affects the skin, nerves, eyes and respiratory system.
