Deal signed to help people living with leprosy

THE Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with The Leprosy Mission (TLM) to promote sustainable livelihoods in leprosy affected communities.
Country Leader for TLM – PNG Natalie Smith said PNG has 500 new cases of Leprosy each year and the disease spreads like TB through coughing and sneezing and most importantly those with low immune systems were easy targets. Smith added that Leprosy was curable over one-year treatment and healthy food and nutrition was an important element to prevent and address this dreadful disease. She said the Sustainable Livelihoods Development project was a livelihoods and health project under the TLM-PNG which has moved to Port Moresby two years ago from Madang and operating in PNG since the 1960s.
The livelihood project began in 2017 with the objective of enabling communities affected by leprosy and disability, she said.
“TLM-PNG is currently working in 20 communities in Central, 20 communities in NCD and 10 communities in Daru, Western Province,” she said.
While signing the MoA with FPDA’s Southern Regional Coordinator Poela Utama, Smith said it was a relief to partner with an experienced organization that was government funded and working well with the rural PNG communities.
“The purpose of this agreement is to solidify the partnership between FPDA and TLM-PNG aiming at income generating activities in the areas of vegetable and fruit production as identified by TLM-PNG, from their community surveys,” she said.
FPDA, a government affiliated body with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock has shown the capacity and expertise in providing training and ongoing monitoring at the community level.