Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease has been around since ancient times. It is also referred to as “ketong” in Filipino and “sanla” or “kulian” in other parts of the Philippines.
Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by a bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae. The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes. Symptoms may include discolored patches of skin, painless ulcers on the soles of feet and swelling or lumps on the face or earlobes, numbness of affected areas of the skin, stuffy nose, and nosebleeds. Leprosy is curable if treated at an early stage to prevent disability. The Philippines has the highest incidence of leprosy of any country in the region. According to the Department of Health, overall prevalence of leprosy is less than 0.4 cases per 10,000, 1,660 multibacillary leprosy (MB) and 249 paucibacillary leprosy (PB) new cases were identified in the year 2017, with about 6.7 percent of those being children under the age of 15.
To strengthen the advocacy of spreading awareness, the last week of February of every year has been declared as Leprosy Prevention and Control Week by former President Diosdado P. Macapagal under Presidential Proclamation No. 467 under the auspices of the Department of Health. The observance aims to deepen public awareness on the disease, its prevention, and treatment to fully eradicate it as well as the social stigma which is one of the main reasons why persons hide their condition.
Government efforts were made to lessen the burden of the disease in the Philippines. Some of the strategies include strengthening local government ownership, coordination, and partnership, promoting interventions for the prevention of infection and disease, and stopping all forms of discrimination and promote inclusion. National Leprosy Control Program of the Department of Health aims to achieve its goals to reduce the disease burden and sustain the provision of high-quality leprosy services for all affected communities ensuring that the principle of equity and social justice are followed and its mission to have a leprosy-free country by the year 2020.
-By: Elton N. Pelegrino & Rowence F. Zorilla
References:
1. Leprosy Prevention and Control Week
https://dilg.gov.ph/events/Leprosy-Prevention-and-Control-Week/549
2. Leprosy
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/leprosy
3. NATIONAL LEPROSY CONTROL PROGRAM
https://doh.gov.ph/leprosy-control-program
4. Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) Signs and Symptoms
