Experts at a views-sharing meeting on Saturday called upon the media workers for playing their due role in preventing the infectious disease of leprosy through creating adequate social awareness.The Government’s Health Department and the Leprosy Mission International-Bangladesh jointly organised the meeting at the hall room of the Civil Surgeon of Panchagarh for the media workers.The views-sharing meeting was arranged to inform the media workers about the infectious disease of leprosy and ongoing activities for its prevention before observance of the 62nd World Leprosy Day-2015 tomorrow (Sunday).With Civil Surgeon of Panchagarh Dr Ahad Ali in the chair, twenty-five journalists of Panchagarh working in the print, electronic and online media participated in the views-sharing meeting held at the sub-Himalayan district town.Project Manager of the Leprosy Mission International-Bangladesh at its Nilphamari office Mohammad Khorshed Alam, leprosy specialists Dr Al Mamun and Dr Taznuva Jafar addressed the meeting as resource persons.Panchagarh Area Health Supervisor of the Leprosy Mission International-Bangladesh Kamal Adhikari, senior journalists Shahidul Islam, Shafikul Islam, SM Mahmud Selim and Abdur Rahim took part in the open discussion.The experts elaborately narrated the symptoms of the infectious disease of leprosy caused by Mycobacterium leprae involving the skin and peripheral nerves.They put maximum emphasis on early diagnosis of the disease and said that full course treatment of leprosy is critical for preventing lifelong neuropathy and disability.They said leprosy still remains poorly understood and often feared by the general public and even by some in the healthcare professions, although it is not highly contagious and its very effective treatment is available.Though the infection is highly responsive to treatment, disabilities of the eyes, hands, and feet due to neuropathy are often not reversible and may require lifelong care and rehabilitation, they said.They called upon the media workers for creating awareness among the common people to inspire them for early diagnosis and complete treatment to minimise the likelihood of these disabilities.In his speech, the Civil Surgeon said 73 leprosy patients, out of 92 detected, have recovered from the disease so far after completing full course treatments in Panchagarh district. –BSS, Rangpur
