Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Around 11,037 patients of Leprosy disease were registered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while around 2711 patients were registered with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department.

This was said by the speakers in a program organized by Health Department in connection with World Leprosy Day.

Head of Public Health Engineering Department Dr Shaheen Afridi said that around 60,000 patients of Leprosy, are register in province adding that after 1996 outbreak of the disease now it is reducing day by day.

She further said that Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by germs or bacteria that enter the body while breathing and affects the skin and nerves.

To spread awareness regarding the disease that causes disfiguration of skin and deformities of hands and feet, World Leprosy Day is celebrated every year on the last Sunday of January, Dr. Shaheen added.

She further said about the symptoms of Leprosy disease added that Leprosy primarily affects the skin and the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, called the peripheral nerves. It may also strike the eyes and the thin tissue lining the inside of the nose.

She informed that the main symptom of leprosy is disfiguring skin sores, lumps, or bumps that do not go away after several weeks or months. The skin sores are pale-colored.

She added that around 25 to 45 years of age was targeted by Leprosy disease and most of them were male patients, adding that the provincial government was providing treatment across the province and all facilities were provided to the patients free of cost.

Dr Shaheen informed that the program and treatment centre were in 17 district of KP while 11, 37 patients were registered, adding that around 116 new patients were registered with them in 2016.

She added that the provincial government and health department working to eliminate the Leprosy disease from the province, adding that they were providing treatment to the patients as well as working on the awareness session among the patients.

Meanwhile the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department also distributed the Hepatitis medicines to MTI hospital as well as to the district headquarters hospital across the province.

Talking to Media Hepatitis Control Program Manager Dr Kaleem Ullah said that for the treatment of Hepatitis C treatment medicine has been purchased and was send to all government hospitals where patients will get it free of cost.

He informed that around 32 hospitals will get these medicines while around 4920 patients will get the medicines, adding that although the patient’s ratio is alarming in the province but the tablets will be provided to the concern hospitals on demands.