Nigeria: Minister Decries Discrimination Against Leprosy Patients
Atika Balal
 

AllAfrica.com

Leprosy is a curable disease and its treatment is free in Nigeria, Minister of Health Prof Babatunde Osotimehin has said. In a speech presented at this year's World Leprosy Day celebrated in Alheri Settlement Village in Kwali Abuja yesterday, the minister decried the alarming rate of stigmatization and discrimination faced by leprosy patients in the society. The theme for this year's World Leprosy Day is Leprosy is Not Over, Let's Keep the Fight.

He said despite reaching its elimination target 18 years ago these factors have contributed immensely to the spread of the disease. "In the last 5 years, over 100,000 leprosy patients have been treated, however those treated may be living with the residual deformities and disabilities but they are no longer infectious and are not a risk to the communities," he said.

While commending President Yar'adua for making health a key component of his administration's 7-point Agenda, he called on religious and opinion leaders to reposition themselves and mobilize their people towards supportive actions for reintegration and rehabilitation of PALS and consolidation of the achievements made so far.
He also thanked the World Health Organization and ILEP members for the provision of MDT drugs, prevention of disabilities and continuing support for field implementation of leprosy control activities.

Also speaking, ILEP representative in Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Udo, called on governmental and non-governmental organizations in the country to pay particular attention to children who are infected with leprosy and run the risk of seeking their future mortgaged by negative consequences of their illness. He said many countries have reached the leprosy elimination target, and that Nigeria is among them since 1998. He defined elimination as a prevalence rate of less than one percent per 10,000 inhabitants of every country in the world.

The representative said unless the causes and consequences of leprosy are resolved, the fight of ILEP will never end. "Our work includes the continued provision of treatment, training of general health workers on leprosy control management, prevention of disabilities, promotion of socio-economic rehabilitation and community development in a sprit of partnership with leprosy affected persons", he said. In his remarks, the country representative of WHO in Nigeria, Dr Peter Eriki, said despite the global effort the disease is still with us, lamenting over the discrimination against the leprosy patients in the society. "We should not fear being associating with leprosy patients", he said.