Students and teachers in some schools in the country have asked the ministry of health to reach them with leprosy messages, saying most of young people in such institutiond are unaware of issues concerining the skin infection.
The call has come at a time the country is experiencing the reimmergence of leprosy, the skin disease Malawa was declared free by World Health Organization (WHO) in 1994.
The ministry of Health has however assured Malawians that they are doing everything possible to end further spread of the infection through providing people with messages that might help them identity symptoms of the infection.
The ministry has also said that most district hospitals in the country have adquate supplies of drugs to treat those diagnized with the ailment.
But Andrew Mkopoliwa Director for Kawale Private Secondary School in Lilongwe has expressed worry with the re-immergence of leprosy in the country.
He has however complained that most students in various schools know little or nothing about the infection, therefore called upon the responsible department in the ministry of Health, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Elimination Program (NTLEP) to start visiting schools where leprosy messages should be preached to the learners.
” We have been seeing officials from the ministy of health visiting schools with HIV and AIDS messages and lately they have been sensitizing learners about Covid 19. I feel its time for officials from the ministry should also start visiting schools to preach messages concerning leprosy,” said Mkopoliwa.
While the Principal for Proper Private school in the same city, Leonard Metazama applauded the ministry of health for efforts being made in the fight againstlLeprosy, but expressed doubt if any students at the school is aware of the skin infection, symptoms and its recurrence in the country.
He therefore concurred with Mkopoliwa that there is a need for the ministry of health through its information department or NTLEP to start visiting schools to sensitize learners about the infection.
“Let me be honest here, that there are a few or no students at this school who can answer or explain anything about leprosy, this is an indication that despite the prevailance of the infection our learners do not know anything about the scourge. We therefore need to get messages about the infection to the grassroots through targeting these young ones,” explained Metazama.
A Mr Phiri, teacher at Nyungwe Primary School in Chiradzulu district said, she was not aware that leprosy has resurfaced in the country, which she suggested as equally been applicable to most students at the institution. She therefore urged responsible officials to visit them with the awareness messages about the infection.
However efforts to speak with NTLEP Director Dr James Mpunga proved futile as he could not be reached through his phone.
However through media tours NTLEP has repeatedly said they are doing everything possible to ensure that people in all the areas of the country are reached with leprosy messages which is a key step towards eradicating the infection.
Reported by Brown Mdalla
