Friday, December 23, 2016

(LML) The Leprosy Research Initiative (LRI)

Leprosy Mailing List – December 23,  2016

Ref.:    (LML)  The Leprosy Research Initiative (LRI)

From:  Nicole Dinnissen, Amsterdam, the Netherlands


Dear all,

 

The Leprosy Research Initiative (LRI) is pleased to announce a call for proposals for funding commencing in 2018. The LRI exclusively funds research on leprosy or that benefits persons affected by leprosy and welcomes proposals for all five LRI research priorities.

 

Proof of concept studies of combined approaches in disease control, (prevention of) disability, rehabilitation or inclusion are needed. Preference will be given to research applications combining leprosy with other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) or other diseases that share cross-cutting issues with leprosy. For example:

  • Combined self-care/wound care of leprosy and other disease affected the foot or lower limb (e.g. podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis, diabetes)
  • Combined approaches for skin-related NTDs
  • Combination of prevention/treatment of NTDs
  • Combination of preventive chemotherapy for leprosy and other NTDs

 

LRI funds in 2018 are limited, because of a large number of ongoing multi-year projects. Therefore, a project budget should not normally exceed €50,000 per year (with a maximum of four years).

 

Researchers interested to apply for funding by the LRI are invited to complete and submit a Letter of Intent (LoI), giving an outline of the intended research. The LoI should use the format provided on the LRI website (www.leprosyresearch.org). Applications that do not follow this format will not be considered.

 

A LoI may be submitted at any time during the year. However, to be considered for the budget round 2018, LoIs should be submitted by February 28th, 2017 at 24:00 (Amsterdam date and time) by email to the LRI Secretariat, c/o Ms. Nicole Dinnissen (info@leprosyresearch.org). This letter will be screened by the LRI Steering Committee (SC). If the feedback by the SC is positive, the applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal before the next deadline (June 1st, 2017).

 

 

With kind regards,

 

 

Nicole Dinnissen

Leprosy Research Initiative (LRI)

c/o Netherlands Leprosy Relief

 

 

Postbus / P.O. Box 95005

1090 HA Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Tel:

+31 20 5950534

Email:

info@LeprosyResearch.org

Web:

www.LeprosyResearch.org


LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder

LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/

Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com


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(LML) I was dreaming

Leprosy Mailing List – December 23,  2016

Ref.:    (LML) I was dreaming

From:  Ben Naafs, Munnekesburen, the Netherlands


Dear readers,

 

I would like to refer to the LML letter of Ben Naafs of November 18, and the reaction to this letter of Arry Pongtiku of December 8, 2016.

 

Best wishes,

 

Pieter AM Schreuder

 

 

 

Dear Arry,

 

My excuses for my late response. It is due to little time this time of the year.

 

First I want to thank you for your response and efforts to make cartoons for explanation. Yes, indeed to translate it in cartoons is a good idea. For type I your drawing is very good. It comes near the real mechanism as I see it. May be there is place for collateral damage. Concerning Type II it is nearby too. Here collateral damage may be even more important.

 

I would try to put in the cartoon the pre-reaction and post-reaction damage. If it is possible to perfectionize your cartoons, please do.  I agree the simpler the better. We can publish them if you are interested.

 

Some remarks to the text:

 

Type I reaction:

It indeed may be that it is directed against M.leprae itself  (foreign body) but it is also possible that it directed against the changes that M.leprae has induced in the host cell. Or due to changes in the immune-system that suddenly considers normal cell constituents as foreign. The CMI indeed brings inflammation which causes oedema. That may give pressure on the nerves when these are in an inelastic “tube” or canal. (bony, fibrous or muscular). Surgery and steroids indeed may diminish this compression.

 

The text under the photo: the swelling on and in the skin may be an indication for similar happenings in the ulnar of other arm.

 

Type II reaction:

The bacilli (antigens) do not need to come in the circulation. There are B cells and plasma cells in the tissues which make the antibodies that bind to the antigens (constituents of M.leprae). This binding of antibody and antigen gives complement activation; thus C3a and C5a giving inflammation and chemotaxis for the neutrophils. It leads to MAC making holes in the antigen containing cell leading to lyses.

 

Here indeed in the acute phase there surgery is not so important because the inflammation last short. But in chronic ENL (type II reaction) the oedema may last due to a compression of the post capillary venulae in the perineurium. Here surgery may help too.

 

Lucio phenomenon:

Your handling of a patient with a most likely Lucio fits in with explanation I cited.

 

I hope that you can adapt the cartoons. Your reaction make me think again and I hope, being like you a clinician, is clear and in the direction of the truth.

 

Greetings

Ben Naafs


LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder

LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/

Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com


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Sunday, December 18, 2016

(LML) WHO Goodwill Ambassador's Newsletter No.81 Issue

Leprosy Mailing List – December 19,  2016

Ref.:    (LML) WHO Goodwill Ambassador's Newsletter No.81 Issue

 

From:  Hiroe Soyagimi, Tokyo, Japan 


 

Dear Dr Schreuder and Friends,

 

Warm greetings from Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation in Tokyo. 

We have uploaded our latest edition of "WHO Goodwill Ambassador's Newsletter No.81 Issue" to our website. 

Please visit http://www.smhf.or.jp/e/ambassador/index.html 

to obtain electronic version of this issue. 

 

In this issue we feature articles about ...

Message:     Religion's Reach

Symposium:   An Interfaith Call to Action; Conclusions and Recommendations                         

Ambassador's journal: In the Forests of Cameroon

News: P&G Progress Report

From the Editors:   A Hoped-For outcome  

 

We hope you enjoy our latest Newsletter!

 

Hiroe Soyagimi 

Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation

*********************************************************

Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation

Tel03-6229-5377 

Fax03-6229-5388

email: smhf@tnfb.jp

visit our website at http://www.smhf.or.jp/

facebook  https://www.facebook.com/smhftokyo


LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder

LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/

Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com

 

 


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Friday, December 16, 2016

(LML) Competent leprosy services

 

Leprosy Mailing List – December 16,  2016

Ref.:   (LML) Competent leprosy services

From:  Tahir Dahiru, Jos, Nigeria


 

 

 

Dear Pieter,

 

The picture painted by Dr Jaison (LML, December 12, 2016) is more or less the same even here in Nigeria. Although Nigeria detected 2892 new cases of Leprosy in 2015, the skills among health workers has seriously declined. Less than 10% of the country’s total health work force can accurately diagnose and treat Leprosy, including Leprosy complications, conclusively. This of course is a source for concern.

 

The famous Leprosy Hospitals are managed with young Doctors who have no experience in Leprosy case management and management of Leprosy complications. Even the National TB and Leprosy Training center has no specialist Dermatologist or Surgeon that can take care of complications of Leprosy. The few very experienced Leprosy Doctors are either on retirements or about to retire. No funds allocated for training the young ones.

 

ILEP partners are doing their best but are faced with dwindling financial incomes from their donors. Governments have and still continue to see Leprosy services as donor projects. For how long this will continue is a subject of discussion for the technocrats in Leprosy world. There is no better time than now to engage Governments at all level to face the challenges of declining quality of Leprosy services in the developing countries and especially in my country. This must be done and must be initiated now.

 

Tahir


LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder

LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/

Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com


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(LML) InfoNTD Information on cross-cutting issues in NTDs December 2016

Leprosy Mailing List – December 16,  2016

Ref.:    (LML) InfoNTD Information on cross-cutting issues in NTDs December 2016

From:  Ilse Egers and Evelien Dijkkamp, Amsterdam, the Netherlands


Dear Pieter,

 

Greetings from InfoNTD!
 
In this newsletter you will find a selection of news items and recent publications on cross-cutting issues in NTDs. Each month we make a selection. Our starting point is to add articles covering a wide variety of cross-cutting issues and NTDs. Unfortunately, this is not always possible due to a publication bias and lack of articles on these issues.

Feel free to contact us with any questions or to receive the full text versions if a link to the full text is not included (
infontd@leprastichting.nl). Our document delivery service is free!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful and healthy new year!

Kind regards,
 
Ilse Egers & Evelien Dijkkamp
InfoNTD Information officers

 

 

News

 

 

Neglected tropical diseases: Getting "lost in the WASH" no longer!
By Dr Suzy Campbell & Dr Nana-Kwadwo Biritwum
There is a very important research agenda gaining momentum at present, and it is attracting extensive stakeholder buy-in. This is the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in augmenting preventive chemotherapy for neglected tropical disease (NTD) control. We chaired a breakout session at COR-NTD, the annual operational research meeting for NTDs, held in Atlanta in November.
Read more


"One Health" approach holds promise for STH disease in humans.
By Elizabeth Fite
Decades of veterinary research may supply ammunition for the ongoing war against worms in global health.
Hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and other varieties of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) compromise the health and vigor of more than 1.2 billion people worldwide. Although these are among the world's the most common pathogens, global investment in their study and control lags other categories of infectious disease.
Read more


18 Diseases the world has turned its back on.
This article is part HuffPost's Project Zero campaign, a yearlong series on neglected tropical diseases and efforts to eliminate them.
Read more

 

 

New publications

 

 

Addressing the social determinants of neglected tropical diseases to achieve their control and elimination.
Nwoke BEB, Nwoke EA, Ukaga CN. Nigerian Journal of Parasitology. 2016; 37(1):56-61.
Abstract Notwithstanding the successes achieved by the international community in the use of drugs to control the neglected diseases, this paper is of the strong opinion that for sustainability of this programme, national and international communities should re-channel expenditures and activities also on preventive and promotive measures in addressing the issue of these determinants. These include (a) addressing safe and clean water supply, improved sanitation and household-related factors including personal hygiene (b) reducing environmental risk factors (c) improving the health of migrating populations (d) reducing inequity due to socio cultural factors and gender (e) reducing poverty in NTD-endemic populations.
Read abstract


Combining footwear with public health iconography to prevent soil-transmitted helminth infections.
Paige SB, Friant S, Clech L et al. ASTMH. 2016:15-0910.
Abstract We launched a public health intervention that combines a public health image with sandals. The image is a "lenticular image" that combines two alternating pictures to depict the efficacy of shoes for preventing STH infection. Results of focus group discussions reinforced the importance of refining public health messages well in advance of distribution so that cultural acceptability is strong. We found that the frequency of shoe-wearing was 25% higher in communities receiving the shoes than in control communities.
Download PDF


Mass deworming to improve developmental health and wellbeing of children in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Welch VA, Ghogomu E, Hossain A et al. The Lancet Global Health. 2017; 5(1).
Abstract Mass deworming for soil-transmitted helminths with or without deworming for schistosomiasis had little effect. For schistosomiasis, mass deworming might be effective for weight but is probably ineffective for height, cognition, and attendance. Future research should assess which subset of children do benefit from mass deworming, if any, using individual participant data meta-analysis.
Download PDF


Uncovering the pathogenic landscape of helminth (opisthorchis viverrini) infections: A cross-sectional study on contributions of physical and social environment and healthcare interventions.
Ong X, Wang Y-C, Sithithaworn P, Namsanor J et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016; 10(12):e0005175.  
Abstract This study isolates and examines the influence of different aspects of the physical and social environment, and uneven intervention effort contributing to the pathogenic landscape of human Opisthorchis viverrini infections. Villages where O. viverrini infections were not prioritized by the health centers as the healthcare focus were at a higher risk of infection (prevalence). Priority of healthcare focus, however, did not appear to influence behavior, as the consumption of raw fish, the main source of O. viverrini infections in the study area, was 11.4% higher in villages that prioritized O. viverrini infections than those that did not.
Download PDF


Exploring the ambivalent evidence base of mobile health (mHealth): A systematic literature review on the use of mobile phones for the improvement of community health in Africa.
de Kruijf JG, Krah EFM. Digital Health. 2016; 2:1–20.
Abstract This review explores mHealth for community health in Africa in order to assess its still ambivalent evidence base. Review of these texts reveals ambivalence in the appraisal of mHealth; essentially, the critical stance in general analyses/overviews is absent from project assessments. Especially weak evidence concerning sustainability and scalability is stressed in overviews. Project assessments are more optimistic. Their analysis suggests a causal connection between simplicity and success.
Read abstract


Exploring the complexities of leprosy-related stigma and the potential of a socio-economic intervention in a public health context in Indonesia.
Dadun D, Peters R, Lusli M et al. DCIDJ. 2016; 27(3).
Abstract People affected by leprosy face major socio-economic consequences. This was confirmed by key persons. Several opportunities for a possible socio-economic intervention were perceived, as also the barriers. People affected by leprosy are constrained by certain aspects of the health system (e.g., the health providers' negative attitudes), views in society (e.g., misunderstandings about the condition, stigma), and the physical and social consequences of the disease (impairments, feelings of shame).
Download PDF


Mapping trachoma in Kaduna State, Nigeria: Results of 23 local government area-level, population-based prevalence surveys.
Muhammad N, Mpyet C, Adamu MD et al. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2016:1-9.
Abstract The prevalence of trachomatous inflammation - follicular (TF) in children aged 1-9 years was between 0.03% and 8% across the LGAs, with only one LGA (Igabi) having a TF prevalence ≥5%. The LGA-level prevalences of trichiasis in persons aged 15 years and older were between 0.00% and 0.78%. Eleven LGAs had trichiasis prevalences of 0.2% and over in adults; a threshold equivalent to 1 case per 1000 total population. The LGA-level proportion of households with access to improved water sources ranged from 9% to 96%, while household access to latrines ranged from 5% to 99%.
Download PDF


A call to strengthen the global strategy against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis: the time is now.
Lo NC, Addiss DG, Hotez PJ, et al. Lancet Infect Dis. 2016.
Abstract In this Personal View, we highlight recent advances that, taken together, support a call to revise the global strategy and guidelines for preventive chemotherapy and complementary interventions against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. These advances include the development of guidance that is specific to goals of morbidity control and elimination of transmission. We quantify the result of forgoing this opportunity by computing the yearly disease burden, mortality, and lost economic productivity associated with maintaining the status quo.
Download PDF


Burden of lymphatic filariasis morbidity in an area of low endemicity in Brazil.
Netto MJ, Bonfim C, Brandão E, et al. Acta Trop. 2016; 163:54-60.
Abstract The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of morbidity and its correlation with filarial infection, thereby filling a gap that existed regarding the data on morbidity in Brazil. To analyze correlations, Pearson's correlation coefficient was used with the corresponding statistical significance test. 23,673 individuals were investigated: 323 presented microfilaremia and 741 had clinical complaints that were attributable to LF.
Acute dermatolymphangioadenitis was the most prevalent condition.
Read abstract


An extensive burden of giardiasis associated with intestinal schistosomiasis and anaemia in school children on the shoreline of Lake Albert, Uganda.
Al-Shehri H, Stanton MC, LaCourse JE, et al. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2016.
Abstract To shed light on putative interactions between diseases, a prospective cross-sectional parasitological survey was undertaken in five primary schools. In this setting, an extensive burden of giardiasis was revealed with heavy intensity infections associated with egg-patent intestinal schistosomiasis and anaemia. To improve child health, greater attention on giardiasis is needed along with exploring joined-up actions across diseases that promote better water hygiene and sanitation measures.
Read abstract


Remote communities: promoting engagement in self-care.
Smith KG, Paudyal V, Stewart D et al. SelfCare. 2016; 7(4):1-9.
Abstract Behaviour change interventions which promote engagement in self-care may be utilised as a means to increase the reach of healthcare and reduce health inequality by targeting those populations deemed harder to reach. Such interventions may foster resilience and wellbeing within these communities, and increase quality of life. However, traditional face-to-face methods of delivery may prove challenging to implement within remote communities.
Download PDF


The impact of a rights-based counselling intervention to reduce stigma in people affected by leprosy in Indonesia.
Lusli M, Peters R, Van Brakel W et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016; 10(12):e0005088.
Abstract The notes showed that most clients faced stigma on a daily basis, whether internalized, anticipated and/or enacted. A significant reduction was found between the before and after total scores of the SARI Stigma Scale, Participation Scale Short and WHO Quality of Life score among the counselling clients. Qualitative data indicates that knowledge and rights trigger change. Clients took steps to improve their life such as re-connecting with neighbours, helping in household activities and applying for jobs. Challenges include the wish to conceal their condition.
Download PDF



WASH


Indicators of improved water access in the context of schistosomiasis transmission in rural Eastern Region, Ghana.
Kulinkina AV, Kosinski KC, Plummer JD et al. Science of The Total Environment. 2016.
Abstract In order to identify underserved populations, relevant measures of access to WASH infrastructure at sub–national or local levels are needed. We conducted a field survey of all public water sources in 74 rural communities in the Eastern Region of Ghana and computed indicators of water access using two methods: one based on the design capacity and another on the spatial distribution of water sources. Our study offers a potential methodology to use water point mapping data to identify communities in need of improved water access to achieve schistosomiasis risk reduction.
Read abstract


Sociocultural determinants to adoption of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene practices in Nyakach, Kisumu County, Kenya: A descriptive qualitative study.
Wasonga J, Okowa M, Kioli F. Journal of Anthropology. 2016.  
Abstract Findings revealed that water issues are gendered and its use is socially and culturally categorized. Water storage is affected by traditions such as use of a clay pot, while sanitation and hygiene issues are ritualized and bound by taboos. Children faeces are thrown out in the open fields as a means of disposal and hand washing with soap is nonexistent, since it is believed that doing so would make a person lose the ability to rear livestock. The implications of these findings are that some of these sociocultural practices have a profound effect on health of the population.
Read abstract


Contribution of wastewater irrigation to soil transmitted helminths infection among vegetable farmers in Kumasi, Ghana.
Amoah ID, Abubakari A, Stenström TA, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016; 10(12):e0005161.
Abstract Farmers and family members exposed to irrigation water were three times more likely as compared to the control group of non-farmers to be infected with Ascaris and hookworm. This study therefore contributes to the evidence-based conclusion that wastewater irrigation contributes to a higher incidence of STHs infection for farmers exposed annually, with higher odds of infection in the wet season.
Download PDF


Effectiveness of a rural sanitation programme on diarrhoea, soil-transmitted helminth infection and malnutrition in India.
Cumming O, Ensink J, Freeman M, Jenkins M. 2016. Report
Abstract We did a cluster-randomised controlled trial in 2013, in 100 rural villages in Odisha, India. Increased latrine coverage is generally believed to be effective for reducing exposure to faecal pathogens and preventing disease; however, our results show that this outcome cannot be assumed. As efforts to improve sanitation are being undertaken worldwide, approaches should not only meet international coverage targets, but should also be implemented in a way that achieves uptake, reduces exposure, and delivers genuine health gains.
Download PDF


Psychosocial impacts of the lack of access to water and sanitation in low-and middle-income countries: a scoping review.
Bisung E, Elliott SJ. Journal of Water and Health. 2016; wh2016158.
Abstract Four interrelated groups of stressors emerged from the review; physical stressors, financial stressors, social stressors, and stressors related to (perceived) inequities. Further, gender differences were observed, with women carrying a disproportionate psychosocial burden. We argue that failure to incorporate psychosocial stressors when estimating the burden or benefits of safe water and sanitation may mask an important driver of health and well-being for many households in low- and middle-income countries.
Read abstract


Investigating the differential impact of school and community-based integrated control programmes for soil-transmitted helminths in Timor-Leste: the (S) WASH-D for Worms pilot study protocol.
Clarke NE, Clements AC, Bryan S et al. BioMed Central. 2016; 2(1):69.
Abstract The aims of this pilot study are to determine feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and study procedures and to establish proof of principle for the hypothesis that STH control programmes directed to the entire community will lead to greater reductions in STH infections in children than programmes directed only to school-aged children. This pilot study is being conducted in preparation for a cluster-RCT investigating the differential impact of school- and community-based integrated STH control programmes on STH infections in school-aged children.
Download PDF


Books


Neglected Tropical Diseases - Oceania.
Editors: Loukas, Alex (Ed.). 2016.
Focuses on region specific topics of neglected tropical diseases in an economically diverse region
This volume of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) series covers the most prevalent NTDs in Oceania. This book will discuss in detail pathology, diagnostics and control approaches of selected NTDs in the geografic region. A large part of Oceania's population lives in poverty and therefore is at high risk for certain parasitic diseases, such as hookworm infection, lymphatic filariasis, strongyloidiasis or scabies. In addition viral infections such as dengue and new emerging viruses are of importance as major health risks for people living and traveling in this area. Each chapter focuses on one specific disease or series of related diseases, and provides in-depth insights into the topic.


Innov8 approach for reviewing national health programmes to leave no one behind.
Technical handbook WHO. 2016.
World Health Organization
Summary
As called for by the Sustainable Development Goals, Ministries of health and others involved in the delivery and design of health programmes in all countries are grappling with the question of how to ensure that no one is left behind.
Many are working to reduce inequities in health service access and health status, including through reforms towards universal health coverage (UHC), enhanced intersectoral action, stronger social participation, gender-responsive and rights-based programming and health inequality monitoring.
The Innov8 Technical Handbook aims to support these efforts and is a resource as part of the Innov8 approach to reviewing national health programmes to leave no one behind. Innov8 entails an 8-step review process undertaken by a multidisciplinary national review team. It responds to the practical question of how to make concrete, meaningful and evidence-based programmatic action to tackle inequities and other shortfalls in the realization of human rights and gender equality and to address the wider social determinants of health. The Innov8 Technical Handbook is a user-friendly resource that includes backgrou
nd readings, country examples and analytical activities to support a programmatic review process.


LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder

LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/

Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com

 


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Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Re: (LML) Competent leprosy services

Dear Pieter,

The picture painted by Dr Jaison is more or less the same even here in Nigeria. Although Nigeria  detected 2892 new cases of Leprosy in 2015, the skills among health workers has seriously declined. Less than 10% of the countries total health work force can accurately diagnose and treat Leprosy jncluding Leprosy complications conclusively. This of course is a source for concern. The famous Leprosy Hospitals are managed with young Doctirs who have no experience in Leprosy case managment and mnagment of Leprosy complications. Even the National TB and Leprosy Training center has no specialist Dermatologist or Surgeon that can take care of complications of Leprosy. The few very experienced Leprosy Doctors are either on retirements or about to retire. No funds allocated for training the young ones. ILEP partners are doing their best but are faced with dwindling financial incomes from their donors. Governments have and still continye to see Leprosy services as donor projects. For how long this will continue is a subject of discussion for the technocrats in Leprosy world. There is no better time than now to engage Governments at all level to face the challenges of declining quality of Leprosy services in the developing countries and especially in my country. This must be done and must be initiated now.

Tahir

On Mon, Dec 12, 2016 at 5:04 PM, Pieter Schreuder <editorlml@gmail.com> wrote:

Leprosy Mailing List – December 12,  2016

Ref.:   (LML)   Competent leprosy services

From:  Jaison Barreto, Bauru, Brazil


 

Dear Pieter,

 

Thanks for the writings "competent leprosy services" by Joel Almeida of December 10, 2016.

 

What we have seen in the last 10 years in Brazil about leprosy:

Progressive destruction of reference centers, with more and more leprosy cases being misdiagnosed as rheumatism, allergy, mycosis and other diseases!

 

No more leprosy in-service-trainings for health professionals were stimulated by the last government. The international leprosy organizations went away from Brazil, causing a catastrophic condition as the physicians, who are in the field and stay in the same municipality for one year or less, do not receive training in leprosy anymore. At universities they learn almost nothing about leprosy. The material available in internet works only for those that were trained in service at least a little bit. Fear and prejudice is still high in our country.  

 

I have been in the field many times in the past 10 years, training health professionals to suspect and diagnosing leprosy cases. I have trained as such more than 10,000 new professional, with funds from GLRA and Fontilles. Unfortunately, those ILEP members left our country. More than 1000 leprosy patients were diagnosed during these trainings. In areas were GLRA/Fontilles worked the detection did not fall, but the number of grade 2 disabilities found among new cases were extremely low compared to other areas not covered by this training program.

 

During the last government, professionals who worked in the field, like me, training other colleagues and finding several new cases, were put under pressure in Brazil, as leprosy elimination goal should be reached, even by lies and false statistics.

 

Thanks God that now we have a new government in Brazil, where our Ministry of Health and the new National Leprosy Coordination is trying to recover our country from the destruction of the National Leprosy Program left by the last government.

 

I am sure we will really eliminate leprosy, in decent time, not by statistical lies and with misdiagnosis, but by training all health professionals, finding all active leprosy cases and treating them, breaking transmission chain and doing the household contact follow up.

 

Regards,

 

Jaison


LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder

LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/

Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com

 


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Monday, December 12, 2016

(LML) Competent leprosy services

Leprosy Mailing List – December 12,  2016

Ref.:   (LML)   Competent leprosy services

From:  Jaison Barreto, Bauru, Brazil


 

Dear Pieter,

 

Thanks for the writings “competent leprosy services” by Joel Almeida of December 10, 2016.

 

What we have seen in the last 10 years in Brazil about leprosy:

Progressive destruction of reference centers, with more and more leprosy cases being misdiagnosed as rheumatism, allergy, mycosis and other diseases!

 

No more leprosy in-service-trainings for health professionals were stimulated by the last government. The international leprosy organizations went away from Brazil, causing a catastrophic condition as the physicians, who are in the field and stay in the same municipality for one year or less, do not receive training in leprosy anymore. At universities they learn almost nothing about leprosy. The material available in internet works only for those that were trained in service at least a little bit. Fear and prejudice is still high in our country.  

 

I have been in the field many times in the past 10 years, training health professionals to suspect and diagnosing leprosy cases. I have trained as such more than 10,000 new professional, with funds from GLRA and Fontilles. Unfortunately, those ILEP members left our country. More than 1000 leprosy patients were diagnosed during these trainings. In areas were GLRA/Fontilles worked the detection did not fall, but the number of grade 2 disabilities found among new cases were extremely low compared to other areas not covered by this training program.

 

During the last government, professionals who worked in the field, like me, training other colleagues and finding several new cases, were put under pressure in Brazil, as leprosy elimination goal should be reached, even by lies and false statistics.

 

Thanks God that now we have a new government in Brazil, where our Ministry of Health and the new National Leprosy Coordination is trying to recover our country from the destruction of the National Leprosy Program left by the last government.

 

I am sure we will really eliminate leprosy, in decent time, not by statistical lies and with misdiagnosis, but by training all health professionals, finding all active leprosy cases and treating them, breaking transmission chain and doing the household contact follow up.

 

Regards,

 

Jaison


LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder

LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/

Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com

 


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