FG to establish leprosy treatment centres in each local government

In addition to establishing over 600 Multi Drug Therapy (MDT) clinics that provides free diagnosis and treatment to patients with leprosy, Nigeria targets to establish at least one focal MDT Clinic per Local Government Area (LGA) in the country.

Isaac Adewole, Nigeria’s minster of health disclosed this in a speech during the working visit to Yangoji Leprosy Community, Kwali Area Council Abuja, on the occasion of World Leprosy Day 2017.

Nigeria introduced the MDT in 1998 and nearly two decades later, the country has achieved the World Health Organization’s (WHO) leprosy elimination target of less than 1 case per 10,000 populations at the national level.

But all is not well. “The over 28 referral/rehabilitation centres and the over 100 leprosy settlements in the country are in state of disrepair and in dire need of social amenities,” Adewole said.

He added, “I wish you to use this opportunity to call on stakeholders and our development partners to support upgrade of facilities and other social amenities. Let me assure you that the Federal Government of Nigeria will do her best in mobilising resources to improve the standard on living of the in-mates.”

According to the minister,  Nigeria’s leprosy control efforts have been hampered by low public awareness of the disease, inadequate and late case reporting leading to complications like deformities and disabilities; stigma and discrimination against persons affected by the disease; and extreme poverty and societal exclusion.

“There were many mistaken beliefs about the disease — that it was highly contagious, hereditary, heaven’s punishment and these have negatively affected persons with leprosy even after they are cured.”

In Nigeria, states that have pockets of endemicity include Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Bauchi, Taraba, Niger, Kogi, Ebonyi, Abia, Cross River, Edo, Ogun, Osun and Lagos.

“Of utmost concern is the existence of new Leprosy cases that are reported each year among the general population including children and those with grade 2 disability.

In 2015, a total of 2,892 new Leprosy cases were notified, among which 9% were children and 15% have grade 2 disabilities because of late presentation at the health care facilities.

The Leprosy Mission Nigeria, a faith-based non-governmental organisation working to provide treatment for leprosy patients in Nigeria said that every year over 3500 people are diagnosed with leprosy and about 25% of patients having some degree of disability.

A study measuring the progress of leprosy elimination Gidado Mustapha, Obasanya Olusegun and others concluded that factors militating against leprosy elimination is lack of adequate skills in detecting and management of leprosy patients among general health workers, poor recording, especially skin charting on the leprosy cards.

Others are poor referral linkages of leprosy patients and non-involvement of secondary and tertiary health facilities and lack of comprehensive leprosy rehabilitation activities and low government commitment to leprosy control in the state.

The Minister said a keener attention would be paid it. As part of the efforts of government to eliminate leprosy in the endemic states, the Federal Ministry of Health launched a five year National Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Strategic Plan (2016–2020) in 2016.

“This document facilitates the implementation of appropriate strategies to increase case detection, improve treatment outcome, prevent disabilities and provide physical and socio-economic rehabilitation services to affected persons,” he said.