The Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign Will be Held From January 30 to February 13 in Dakshina Kannada

The Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign Will be Held From January 30 to February 13 in Dakshina Kannada

The Sparsh Leprosy awareness campaign will be held in Dakshina Kannada from January 30 to February 13. District Disease Surveillance Officer and in-charge District Health and Family Welfare Officer Sadashiva said the campaign is being held for early detection and treatment of leprosy and also to remove the stigma associated with this chronic infectious disease. The campaign is being held with slogan “Ending stigma, embracing dignity.

Wenlock Hospital Dermatologist V. Naveen Kumar said that leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium Leprae bacteria and it appears as hypo-pigmented patches on skin with definite loss of sensation. The onset of the disease is subtle and silent and it slowly progresses between 4 and 40 years. Delayed detection leads to disease affecting nerves and thus causing progressing and permanent disability, he said.

Special skin disease check-up camps will be held in 12 government healthcare facilities in the district. Those detected with leprosy will be subjected to multi-drug treatment. Functions will be held at Gram Panchayat to felicitate those who are cured of leprosy.

Dr. Sudarshan said the number of leprosy cases in Dakshina Kannada rose to 75 in 2022-23 more so because of the detection of cases that could not be detected earlier because of covid. In the period between April 2023 and December 2023, a total of 46 leprosy cases were detected and treated, he said.