Burundi struggles to fight leprosy

As the world marked the leprosy day on Sunday, Burundi is struggling to fight leprosy due to refugees crossing the border with Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), a Burundian health official said.

"The disease (leprosy) exists in Burundi, but cases are reducing. In 2016, about 420 new cases of leprosy were reported in several provinces of Burundi. Provinces making border with the DR Congo and Tanzania are the worst affected," said Dr Thaddee Ndikumana, head of the Burundian National Integrated Program for Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control.

According to him, all those new cases of leprosy are due to "physical contacts" between people, most of them refugees, in the DR Congo and in Tanzania that are "far behind" in the fight against leprosy.

Dr Ndikumana indicated that the most affected provinces that make border with both countries include Cibitoke, Bubanza, Bujumbura, Rumonge, Bururi, Makamba and Rutana.

"Unfortunately, many leprosy patients delay to come to health structures in order to get free treatment," he said.

He stressed that the disease can be healed quickly and easily if the patient reports to health structures without delay.

The World Leprosy Day is marked on the last Sunday of January.

Known as one of the oldest diseases in the world, leprosy is an infectious chronic disease that targets the nervous system, especially the nerves in the cooler parts of the body notably the hands, feet, and face. Endit