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KUALA LUMPUR: Stigma and discrimination against leprosy are among the problems that lepers still face that eventually contribute to the spread of the disease in the community, said Tan Sri Health Director-General Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah. (pix)
He said that this negative view caused patients and their close contacts to not only refuse to go to the clinic, but also to refuse to be examined and treated for leprosy.
“Let us work together to eradicate or reduce stigma and discrimination, which are believed to be one of the causes of the spread of leprosy among family members and the community in endemic localities in Malaysia,” he said in a statement issued. in conjunction with World Leprosy Day 2021, with the theme “Together Stop Leprosy”.
World Leprosy Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of January each year.
Dr. Noor Hisham said that every health worker and community leader should also play their part in raising awareness of the disease, especially among the community in high-risk endemic locations.
The Ministry of Health, he said, is committed to strengthening all control and prevention activities of the National Leprosy Control Program with an emphasis on detecting cases among the group at risk in endemic locations.
For the record, said Dr Noor Hisham, Malaysia had reached the level of elimination of leprosy in 1994 with a prevalence rate of 0.9 cases per 10,000 population, in line with the World Health Organization target of less than one case per 10,000 inhabitants. -Called
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