KATHMANDU, April 6: Eighteen people visiting the hospitals in Chitwan district for treatment of different diseases were diagnosed with leprosy in the current fiscal year.
The District Public Office stated that the highest number of confirmed leprosy patients was from Bharatpur Metropolitan City.
TB/Leprosy Officer at the Office, Jayaram Duwadi, said that the Office recorded 13 cases from the Bharatpur Metropolitan City, four from Kalika Municipality, and one from Madi Municipality in Chitwan.
Leprosy on rise in Jhapa
Of the 18 cases, 10 are men, and eight are women.
The office recorded 43 leprosy cases, including 26 men, in the district in the last fiscal year.
Leprosy is a curable disease, unlike in the past. Delay in treatment or, in case of absence of treatment, may cause significant disfigurement, causing damage to skin, nerves, limbs and eyes, Duwadi said.
Delayed awareness about the disease exists in Nepal, as its noticeable symptom—patches on the skin—becomes visible later as it grows very slowly, and this delay is the reason behind most cases; patients reach the medical facilities very late for treatment when the disease has already affected limbs and other organs, leading to the vulnerability of mutilation.
The disease is caused by the bacteria named Mycobacterium leprae. Red lesions on the skin and lack of sensation are signs of an early stage of leprosy.
RSS
