Chittoor: Take effective measures to eradicate leprosy

Chittoor: Effective measures should be initiated to make the district leprosy free, said V R Chandramouli, Joint Collector-2.

He said leprosy eradication programme would be launched on January 30 on the occasion of the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

District Coordination Committee meeting on Leprosy Eradication was held at the Collectorate on Wednesday in which the heads of all line departments have taken part.

Addressing the meeting, Chandramouli said that a unique strategy should be developed to eradicate leprosy in the district with collective efforts by various departments including Panchayat Raj, Rural Development , Urban Development, Woman and Child Welfare Department and Social Justice and Empowerment Department.

"Discrimination is still prevailing in the society against leprosy patients. Awareness should be created over the stigma at Gram Sabhas in all the villages and urban localities. The volunteers and the village secretaries should play an active role in the leprosy eradication awareness programmes," he stressed. He instructed the District Education Officer to insist that the Headmasters of all government and private schools spread the message through children during their prayer programmes every day.

Participating in the meeting, Dr M Penchalaiah, DMHO, said that early detection of leprosy would help in extending effective treatment and preventing spread of disease. He sought cooperation of NGOs to prevent discriminaton.

He said Leprosy Eradication Awareness Programme would be held in 103 Village Secretariats from January 30 to February 13 in which all Anganwadi workers , ASHA workers and the paramedical staff would take part . He said that leprosy patients would invited to all the grama sabhas to explain their personal experiences.