Resource constraints cripple leprosy fight

C

hiradzulu District Hospital dermatology and leprosy officer Mphatso Mbalule has bemoaned lack of resources to fight the disease.

She expressed the sentiments on Monday during a National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Elimination Programme media tour of the district.

Mbalule said instead they mostly rely on patients’ goodwill to present themselves for diagnosis of the disease.

She said: “Truth be told, we rarely go out in the communities to do leprosy surveillance because we do not have resources such as transportfv54

“We mostly do leprosy awareness at the Outpatient Department and rely on the patients being screened when they come to the hospital.”

Mbalule also revealed that Chiradzulu has two leprosy cases which have been on treatment for five months.

Chabwera Clinic Tuberculosis (TB)and Leprosy Support Club chairperson Dafter Gusto said there is need to intensify awareness and surveillance to end leprosy.

“We should encourage people to go for screening when they detect signs of the disease,” he said.

National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Elimination programme manager James Mpunga said TB and leprosy are both mycobacterium diseases which can be managed together.

He said: “We are empowering district hospital health workers to handle both TB and leprosy cases.

“We will follow up on families of people suspected of having leprosy.”

Mpunga said they will provide motorcycles to enhance surveillance and sample collection.

He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has pledged to provide leprosy drugs in the next three years.

Leprosy was last recorded in Chiradzulu in 2012 before resurfacing in January this year.

WHO standard for leprosy elimination stands at less than one case per 10 000 people.