Q & A: Leprosy Increases as World Gives Attention to Newer Endemic Diseases

A young boy from the Philippines with leprosy. The chronic disease is curable, and if treated in time disabilities related to the disease can be averted. Courtesy: moyerphotos/CC By 2.0By Elisio MuchangaMAPUTO, Jul 30 2018 (IPS)In the first six months of this year, the southern African nation of Mozambique has already registered 300 more cases of leprosy, some 951 cases, than it registered for the whole of 2017.The country, which had previously eliminated the chronic disease in 2008, is receiving funding from the Nippon Foundation—a non-profit philanthropic organisation from Japan that is active in many countries across the globe in eliminating leprosy—to provide free multi-drug therapy (MDT) to leprosy sufferers. Leprosy is curable, and if treated early enough disabilities related to the disease can be averted. But treatment can take between six to 12 months.The chairman of the Nippon Foundation and the World Health Organisation (WHO) goodwill ambassador for leprosy elimination, Yohei Sasakawa, recently visited the country to assess Mozambique’s progress in identifying and treating leprosy.He told IPS that the increased attention by health authorities on relatively new endemic diseases such as Malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) may have contributed to the increase of new leprosy cases in the world.  This is despite the fact that treatment for the disease remains free. The WHO has provided MDT for free since 1995 thanks to initial funding from the Nippon Foundation.Sa...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Africa Development & Aid Featured Headlines Health Population Poverty & SDGs Regional Categories TerraViva United Nations Nippon Foundation Source Type: news