A Correspondent :
A day-long workshop on leprosy organised by Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Leprosy Control and Rehabilitation Project under The Leprosy Mission International, was held at Rangamati ASHIKA Manabik Centre conference room on Monday.
Member of CHT Regional Council Dr. Nilu Kumar Tanchanga was chief guest at the workshop while Civil Surgeon of Rangamati Dr. Snaho Kanti Chakma chaired it.
Programme Leader (Dhaka and Chittagong) of The Leprosy Mission International, Bangladesh John Arpon Samaddar, Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Dr. Apprue Marma, Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Suchayan Chowdhury, and senior journalist Md. Mostafa Kamal attended the event as special guests.
Programme Manager of CHT Leprosy Control and Rehabilitation Project Dr. Jibok Chakma presented a keynote paper on current leprosy situation at CHT area.
It was informed at the workshop that, the Project is being implemented here with the help of Leprosy Mission International from 2002. A total of 3,419 patients at 25 upazilas of the three hill districts were detected from 2002 to 2015, while a total of 141 leprosy patients were cured in 2015.
In 2015, a total of 160 leprosy patients were detected, while from January to June of 2016, 69 patients including four children were detected as leprosy patients. At present, total 133 leprosy patients are under treatment.
A total of 40 participants from the three hill districts including public representatives, NGO workers, journalists, and patients recovered from leprosy took part in the workshop.
