Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://thecitizen.co.tz/magazines/25-woman/19300-living-with-leprosy-in-the-21st-century.html
Living with leprosy in the 21st Century
Saturday, 28 January 2012 11:16
digg
By Saumu Mwalimu
Msamaria Village of Leprosy is located in Hombolo Village, Dodoma, and it is home to 88 Tanzanians who have survived the alienating disease and come out on the other end in one piece...
...The war on leprosy in Tanzania
World Leprosy is marked on last Sunday in January every year. This year it falls on Sunday, 29 January. Last year, the Minister for Health and Social Welfare Dr Khaji Mponda said that incidences of the disease have reduced significantly, but there is still a way to go to eradicate it completely. Statistics show that the number of people with leprosy in Tanzania went down from 35,000 patients in 1983 to 2600 in 2009. However, in the same year, the number of new cases increased by 11 per cent. The minister said that now that people are aware that leprosy is not a curse but a disease that can be treated, they should understand the symptoms and rush to hospital for treatment.
According to retired physician Dr Eliud Kiwaya, who worked at Nunge Leprosy hospital for many years, the fight against leprosy is not over, even though the number of new cases is steadily going down. It only takes one person per year to infect 25 other people with leprosy...
Living with leprosy in the 21st Century
Saturday, 28 January 2012 11:16
digg
By Saumu Mwalimu
Msamaria Village of Leprosy is located in Hombolo Village, Dodoma, and it is home to 88 Tanzanians who have survived the alienating disease and come out on the other end in one piece...
...The war on leprosy in Tanzania
World Leprosy is marked on last Sunday in January every year. This year it falls on Sunday, 29 January. Last year, the Minister for Health and Social Welfare Dr Khaji Mponda said that incidences of the disease have reduced significantly, but there is still a way to go to eradicate it completely. Statistics show that the number of people with leprosy in Tanzania went down from 35,000 patients in 1983 to 2600 in 2009. However, in the same year, the number of new cases increased by 11 per cent. The minister said that now that people are aware that leprosy is not a curse but a disease that can be treated, they should understand the symptoms and rush to hospital for treatment.
According to retired physician Dr Eliud Kiwaya, who worked at Nunge Leprosy hospital for many years, the fight against leprosy is not over, even though the number of new cases is steadily going down. It only takes one person per year to infect 25 other people with leprosy...