Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign held at Kangpokpi
Source: The Sangai Express
Kangpokpi, March 29 2022:
To achieve complete eradication of Leprosy, the District Health Society of Kangpokpi under the National Leprosy Eradication Program held a Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign (SLAC) today at the District headquarters.
The awareness campaign was attended by Dr Lamkhoneng Haokip, Chief Medical Officer Kangpokpi, Dr Eunice Haokip, District Leprosy Officer, District Leprosy Unit Kangpokpi, and Prabhabati, District Program Manager.
The awareness campaign was also attended by ASHA workers, and other health workers apart from the general public.
CMO Kangpokpi, Dr Lamkhoneng Haokip while addressing the gathering said that the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign (SLAC) was launched on January 30, 2017 .
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She continued that observation of the day provides an opportunity to create mass awareness about Leprosy and educate people and remove misconceptions.
Dr Eunice Haokip said that Leprosy is a disease that has been present in society since ancient times and it has potential to cause permanent disability in the human body while the stigma associated with it makes a disease of public health concern.
She continued that the National Leprosy Eradication Program (NLEP) was launched in the year 1983 and focused and intensified efforts under this program has led to the achievement of elimination level in the country.
She said that the country's current prevalence rate stands at 0.57/10,000 population but the NLEP aims at complete eradication of the disease.
She also pointed out that Manipur with a prevalence rate of 0.6/10,000 population currently has achieved an elimination level but few cases do exist while the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign conducted every year aims to achieve a complete elimination level.
The District Leprosy Officer further said that the last case of Leprosy in Kangpokpi district was detected in the year 2017 while adding that we have been organizing the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign every year to achieve complete eradication of Leprosy.