Tribute Paid to Dr Ruth Pfau

KARACHI-:  Secretary Health Sindh Dr Fazlullah Pechuho urged to the people to eliminate stigma attached to leprosy disease and there is need to create public awareness to minimize the burden of this disease.

He expressed these views during Annual Function of Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC) held in connection of World Leprosy Day at Art Council of Pakistan. Senior Board Members of MALC including Dr Mutahir Zai, Dr Ali Murtaza and Nisar Ahmed Malik, leprosy patients and people from all walk of life attended the event.

Dr Pechuho not only paid rich tribute to the selfless services of Dr. Ruth Pfau for the country but also stressed that the work which she has started should going on with the same zeal.

Chief Executive Officer, MALC, Mervyn Lobo, said leprosy elimination is successfully being achieved in Pakistan; however elimination is not the end of leprosy. He said there are many challenges in terms of physical and social rehabilitation. Achievement of gradual elimination of leprosy was because of the concerted efforts by a team of committed workers. He said leprosy elimination does not mean that disease has been eradicated from the country.

He said that World Leprosy Day not only symbolizes our feelings of togetherness and love without patients affected by Leprosy but also provides opportunity to all of us working for leprosy to come closer and renew our commitment for a leprosy free world.

In 1996, Leprosy was controlled in Pakistan. The prevalence of the disease reduced to the extent that the World Health Organization declared the disease to be under control in Pakistan, one of the first countries in EMRO Region to achieve this goal.