The Department of Health & Family Welfare under the National Leprosy Eradication Progromme (NLEP) section held an Orientation Training on Leprosy for District Program Officer (DPO) Communicable Disease (CD-II) on August 28 at Nagaland Health Protection Society conference hall, Kohima.

The programme was graced by Dr Mereninla Senlem, Principal Director, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Nagaland Kohima as the special guest. In her keynote address, Mission Director (NHM), Dr Avile Zao said that Leprosy was one of the oldest diseases known to mankind which was often overlooked and left untreated because of stigma and discrimination.

She highlighted that with the introduction of Multi Drug Therapy (MDT), the disease is now curable with proper care. She mentioned that Nagaland was the first Indian state to achieve the World Health Organization’s leprosy elimination target of less than one case per 10,000 populations which it accomplished in 1998.

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Informing that the National Strategy Plan (NPS) aims to eradicate leprosy by 2027, she urged the District Programme Officers to utilize the Para Medical staff by assigning specific work distribution to help the programme achieve its target.

The program was chaired by Dr. Ruokuohelie Rutsa, State Leprosy Officer (SLO), who gave the welcome address and serve as the resource person of the training. The training session concluded with a vote of thanks by Bendangnaro, Senior Health Educator.