District Collector A. Md. Imtiaz launched the Leprosy eradication programme, a 15-day drive aimed at creating awareness on the disease, here on Thursday at the public health centre in Rajiv Nagar.
On the occasion of World Leprosy Day, the Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas took up the drive.
Mr. Imtiaz said that leprosy could be cured if detected at an early stage and awareness on the diseases played a key role in its eradication.
He said the drive was not only aimed at eradicating the disease but also reaching out to the victims and ensure they were not discriminated. Awareness programme ‘Sparsa’ will be organised up to February 13 in the district, he said.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Mr. Imtiaz said that leprosy was not a contagious or hereditary disease.
There were proper medicines available to cure the disease and identifying it played a key role and for the same Asha workers had been prepared to carry out awareness activities, he said.
Health Department Joint Ddirector Y. Kameswari, District Medical and Health Officer T.S.R. Murthy and others were present.
