26 January 2004	Monday	03 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Jan 25: A large number of people participated in a walk organized by the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre on Sunday morning to create an awareness among the masses regarding the disease.

The walk, which started from the mausoleum of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, culminated at the MALC Hospital in Saddar after passing through various roads and streets.

A large number of leprosy hospital workers, cured leprosy patients, people from various walks of life, health educators, volunteers, NGO workers and friends of the MALC participated in the walk which was organized in connection with the World Leprosy Day. The day is observed around the globe on the last Sunday of January.

The MALC chief and deputy federal adviser on leprosy, Capt (retd) Ashfaq Ali Khan, informed the participants that owing to latest technological advancements, research and formulation of new drugs, leprosy has now become curable.

He said with the introduction of multi-drug therapy, which was introduced in the early 80s, the disease had been controlled in the mid-90s and since then efforts are being made to eliminate the disease in the country.

He said besides the treatment, attitude of the people towards patients also plays an important role. He said it is important that people who have any doubt about the disease, should bring the patient to the hospital. He said sooner the patient is brought to the hospital, brighter the chances for his recovery.

He said chances of disfigurement or complications increase if patients are not brought to the hospital for treatment soon. He said it is important that society, in general, and relatives, in particular, should not disown a patient, because such patients need love and affection by the near and dear ones more when they are infected with the disease, during the treatment and afterwards.

He said that a week-long programme on leprosy awareness began with a press conference on Saturday, and on the second day this walk was organized.Patients' day and visitors' day will be organized on Wednesday and Thursday, while the function to observe the 51st World Leprosy Day will be held at the Finance and Trade Centre Auditorium on Sharea Faisal on Saturday evening.

Giving a brief resume of the MALC, he said that the anti-leprosy programme was launched by a few Christian missionaries in a slum, off McLeod Road in the mid-50s. Soon a young German doctor, Ruth Pfau, joined the MALC and is still heading the programme.

In the early 60s, it moved to its present location in Saddar and it is working there for over four decades now. The programme was later expanded and services are now being offered all over the country.

After successfully controlling leprosy in the country, the MALC is now working to control eye diseases as well as TB, and, hopefully, these would be controlled soon.