KARACHI: City nazim pledges steps to eliminate leprosy: ‘Patients deserve more love’
KARACHI, March 30: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has pledged sustained efforts towards eliminating leprosy and other fatal diseases, saying that assistance and resources would be provided to hospitals and other health care centres for the purpose across the city.
The nazim was speaking at a ceremony held on Thursday in connection with the World Leprosy Day at the CDGK Leprosy Hospital, Manghopir.
He said the city government plans to further develop the hospital, the only public sector leprosy hospital in Pakistan, where patients from all parts of the country come for treatment.
Besides treatment, people’s attitude the people towards leprosy patients also plays an important role. It is also important that a leprosy patient is taken to a hospital immediately after being diagnosed to be one. Sooner he arrives the hospital, brighter the chances for his recovery, he said.
Mr Kamal said that risks of disfigurement or complications could increase if patients did not receive treatment promptly soon.
He stressed that society in general, and a leprosy patient’s relatives in particular, should not disown the patient, because he deserved more love and affection after having contracted the disease. during the treatment and afterwards. He said media should also play its due role in creating awareness of leprosy.
The city nazim formed a four-member committee to look after the hospital affairs, and announced the opening of a bank account for the hospital so that donors around the world could easily send their donation and contributions.
Referring to the transport problem in Manghopir, he said that work on the road between Banaras and Madinatul Hikmat would soon be started and a link road touching Orangi and North Nazimabad would be built.
He said that encroachment in Manghopir would be removed and stern action would be taken against land-grabbers without any discrimination. He said that the government would not be influenced by land-grabbers and no concession would be given to them.
MPA Mohammad Hussain highlighting water, sewerage, transport, electricity, education and health problems in the area. He said that land-grabbers should be warned against harassing and cheating people.
MS of the Leprosy Hospital Dr Mohammad Ali Abbasi said that the hospital had turned 108. It was established by philanthropists and taken over by the defunct KMC in the 1960’s. At present it was being run by the city government.
He said that this hospital also serves as the rehabilitation centre for leprosy patients.
The number of leprosy patients in Pakistan is around 47,000, some 50 per cent of whom hailed from other parts of country and live in Karachi for treatment. In addition to the 200 patients having been admitted to the hospital, 4,000 patients were registered with it and around 100 people visit the OPD every day.
EDO Health Khalid Shaikh said that thanks to the technological advancements, research and new drugs, leprosy has now become curable.
A large number of doctors, paramedics, cured leprosy patients, health educators, volunteers, NGO activists and people from various walks of life, besides the employees of the CDGK Leprosy Hospital, Manghopir, attended the ceremony.
City Nazim inspected different departments of the hospital, distributed gifts and cash among patients and inquired about their health.—PPI
