Two suspected cases of leprosy disease were on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, discovered at Sabo community, Mokola area of Ibadan, Oyo State, after a number of 101 residents were tested for skin infections.
Also discovered at a free leprosy test at the location were four cases of other skin diseases among the inhabitants of the community.
In a bid to ensure better living standard in the state, the Life Renewal Healthcare and Empowerment Foundation (LIRECAF) has started the campaign against leprosy at Sabo community.
The LIRECAF president, Alhaja Jemila Aliyu said that the foundation, working in conjunction with the Damien Foundation, Belgium, (DFB Ibadan Officer), conducted test for early detection of leprosy, also known as Hansien Disease.
Leprosy is a bacterium infection, caused by slow growing mycobacterium known as mycobacterium Laprae, and affects the nerves, skin, eyes, ears and the lining of the nose (nasal mucosa).
Alhaja Aliyu said that with early diagnosis and treatment, the ailment could be cured, adding that symptoms of the disease include discoloured patches of the skin.
The discovered cases were said to have been handed over to the Ibadan North Local Government Tuberculosis and Leprosy Supervisor, who was also at the testing ground.
Aliyu disclosed other symptoms as growth (nodules) on the skin, thick, stiff or dry skin and painless swelling or lumps on the face or earlobes.
She stressed that leprosy disease could not spread by touching, while the routes of transmission were said to be through droplets of an infected person by sneezing or coughing.
The LIRECAF president stated further that anyone that with the trace of leprosy disease would be detected through the testing while treatment would be be handled by the Tuberculosis, Leprosy local government supervisor, TBL, who the LIRECAF carried along for the purpose of the programme.
Aliyu retraited that the Foundation was set to identify ways of promoting public health by providing intervention that would lead to prevention, control and elimination of Wash related diseases, caused by unclean water sources and open defecation in urban and rural communities.
The president also said that the Foundation was set to launch campaign against Neglect Tropical Diseases (NTD), a communicable disease that affects the poorest community and people at the grassroots, while some of the diseases were within the urban setting, especially lymphatic filariasis (Elephantiasis); leprosy infection, soil transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) and guinea worm disease, which she claimed had been eradicated.
Highlights of the programme were the visitation and advocacy talk, as well as leprosy disease testing which started at the palace of the Serikin Sabo, Alhaji Alli Zungeru.
