Leprosy outbreak in Port Moresby

 By KARI TOTONA

CONCERNS have been raised about an outbreak of leprosy at 9-Mile settlement outside Port Moresby.

A concerned TB volunteer Mary Savo from Kerema block told The National last Friday that leprosy cases were high in the area and people were dying from the disease.

She called on relevant authorities or doctors to visit the people in the area and make awareness so that they could get treatment at their nearest clinics as soon as possible.

“We do not know who is going to help these people or what we should do to help.

“We see them for a while outside and the next mintues we know they have passed away knowingly from leprosy,” she said.

She said that people in settlements needed more awareness on such health issues so that they would be aware of the dangers rather than dying without trying to get any help or treatment from local clinics.

She admitted that it was the same scenario when TB first hit their settlement and they were helpless and did not know what to do or how to help until World Vision went into the9-Mile clinic to do TB awareness.

“Many people were dying from TB and we did not know at first, it was frightening,” she said.  

It was when she went to the 9-Mile clinic for a check on her daughter when she met a World Vision staff who exposed her to TB diagnosis and treatment.

Her daughter was also diagnosed for TB but she was now cured and living a healthy life and also in the team advocating for TB treatment along with others to fight TB.

Mary said that the same should be done for leprosy patients as they did not know how to reach out to these people as they have done with TB. 

The visit to 9-Mile last Friday was a lead up programme initiated by the World Vision team to March 24 World TB Day.