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Guyana celebrates World Leprosy Day

Jan 30, 2011 News

Today, Guyana joins with the rest of the world in observing the 57th World Leprosy Day. World Leprosy Day has been celebrated every last Sunday in January with thousands of people across the world and here in Guyana stopping to remember those who suffer the horrendous effects of leprosy.
According to information received from the Public Health Clinic located in the Palms Compound, Brickdam, Georgetown, every two minutes someone is diagnosed with leprosy, a fact which is unknown to most. The World Health Organisation estimates that there are 250,000 new cases of leprosy every year, with the majority concentrated in India and Brazil.
Though the disease is curable, globally, there are almost four million people who live with permanent effects which include blindness, severe ulcers, deformity and disability.
Also called “Hansen’s Disease”, leprosy attacks nerves that are located near the cooler parts of the body, extremities such as the hands, feet and face are especially vulnerable.
For generations people have feared leprosy, attaching sever social stigma to people who have the disease.
It was reported that patients are still being rejected by their families and friends and ostracised by the communities in which they live resulting in the “age-old” prejudice associated with the disease continuing to devastate those who are afflicted with leprosy.
A press release from the Public Health Clinic stated, “In Guyana we are more fortunate, stigma is reduced, acceptance is easier and compliance with treatment is facilitated.”
The clinic wishes to remind the public that leprosy is curable and the treatment in Guyana is free while encouraging person to “keep fighting for a just cause”.
Guyana’s observance of ‘World Leprosy Day 2011’ will be commemorated with a week of activities planned by the Leprosy Control Programme scheduled to commence from today with churches being asked to pray for leprosy patients, their families and staff members working with leprosy.

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