Training on leprosy conducted for district programme officers

DIMAPUR — The Department of Health and Family Welfare under the National Leprosy Eradication Progromme (NLEP) conducted a one-day training on leprosy for district programme officers (DPO) on Thursday at the conference hall of Nagaland Health Protection Society in Kohima.

An update from the office of the chief medical officer (CMO), Kohima, stated that Dr. Ruokuohelie Rutsa, state leprosy officer (SLO), chaired the programme, which was attended by the principal director of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mereninla Senlem, as the special guest.

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Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Avile Zao, NHM mission director, stated that leprosy is one of the oldest diseases known to mankind, which was often overlooked and left untreated because of stigma and discrimination. She, however, stated that the disease is now curable with proper care and with the introduction of multi-drug therapy.

She further mentioned that Nagaland was the first state in India to achieve the World Health Organisation's (WHO) leprosy elimination target of less than one case per 10,000 population, which was accomplished in 1998.

Now with the national strategy plan (NPS), which aims to eradicate leprosy by 2027, she urged the district programme officers to utilise the para-medical staff by assigning specific work to help the programme achieve its target.

The training concluded with vote of thanks delivered by Bendangnaro, senior health educator.