A Leprosy-free Philippines by 2020?
MANILA, Mar 03 (IPS) - Dr Maria Francia Laxamana, assistant secretary of health in the Department of Health, Philippines outlines her recommendations for a leprosy country by 2020.
She spoke to IPS the first ever Regional Assembly of Organisations of People Affected by Leprosy in Asia.
The three-day regional event was organised by the Philippine government-run Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital (CSGH), the Coalition of Leprosy Advocate of the Philippines, and the Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation (SMHF). The foundation has been actively supporting the fight to eradicate leprosy worldwide since 1975.
According to Laxamana, only one in every four in the Philippines seek out medical treatment for the disease and social stigma is one of the main reasons why they hide their condition.
For the Philippines to achieve the global target of reducing leprosy cases by 2020, it would be crucial to have policies that could look at the disease in the local context and can provide solutions that are locally applicable.
© Inter Press Service (2019) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
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