Nigeria records 4,000 cases of leprosy annually: official

An average of 4,000 cases of leprosy are recorded annually in Nigeria and a large number of cases are among children, a local official said on Wednesday.

The chronic infectious disease, which affects the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, peripheral nerves, and skin, often leads to deformities and disabilities, said Joe Akabuike, a medical doctor, and commissioner for health in Nigeria's southeastern state of Anambra.

He told an audience at an event marking the World Leprosy Day in Awka, the Anambra State capital, that the national and state governments had been making effort to reduce the number of victims with free healthcare services.

The World Leprosy Day celebrated annually on the last Sunday of January is usually organized to raise awareness of the disease and strive for zero disability, especially in children.

In some cases in Nigeria, leprosy leads to deformities and disabilities among children because they are not quickly diagnosed, the official noted.

Symptoms of leprosy often include numbness or tingling sensation in the hand and feet, light or red patches, loss of feeling in the skin, weakness of the feet and eyelids, weakness of the hands and burns on the hands or feet.

The preventable disease spreads easily through droplet infection from nasal discharge, sneezing, and coughing.

Leprosy is curable with drugs. Endit