The Ministry of Health has announced that Chipata is one of the districts with high leprosy prevalence in Zambia.
Speaking to Breeze News this morning, Acting Provincial Medical Director, Jairos Mulambya says that this is because the district has large water bodies.
He says everyone is encouraged to take part in the sensitization of leprosy because the actual burden of the disease is beyond the wards.
Dr. Mulambya says that the Provincial Health Office is fully supporting the District Medical Office and community heads as they carry out this year’s leprosy commemoration with a global theme “To live is to help live’’.
And speaking during the launch last night, Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said that the commemoration of Global Leprosy Day is targeted at reducing the global and local leprosy burdens aiming at zero prevalence especially amongst children.
He says in 2,000 the government successfully eliminated leprosy prevalence and now few cases are reported about 1-per 10,000 population.
Dr Chitalu says government is working towards promoting social inclusion through addressing all forms of discrimination and stigma.