GAIBANDHA, May 10, 2019 (BSS) – An inception workshop on Proyash-
Accelerating Leprosy Services Project and Mobilization and Empowerment of
People with Disabilities (MEPD) project was held at the conference room of
civil surgeon (CS) here on Thursday afternoon.
CS office and The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh jointly
arranged the workshop.
CS Dr. ABM Abu Hanif presided over the function while deputy director of
Local Government Section of Deputy Commissioner (DC) office Rokhsana Begum
addressed the ceremony as the chief guest.
President of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) district unit, Dr.
Shahiduzzaman Harun, Superintendent of GaibandhaSadar Hospital Dr. Mahfuzur
Rahman, Sadar UNO Uttam Kumar Roy, Sundarganj upazila health and family
planning officer (UHFPO) Dr. Yakub Ali Morol, and resident medical officer of
Sadar hospital Dr. Shahinul Islam were present at the event as the special
guests.
The function was also addressed, among others, by junior consultant of
chest disease clinic here Dr. Nazmul Huda, technical support officer Keshab
Chandra Roy, area development officer Shariful Islam and journalist Sarker M.
Shahiduzzaman.
The speakers in their speeches underscored the need for creating much
awareness among the people about leprosy, finding out the leprosy patients
and then bringing them under free treatment facilities to build a leprosy
free society.
Earlier, project managerJeorge Biswas made a power point presentation on
the projects and said 3-year Proyash project funded by effect hope, The
Leprosy Mission Canada would be implemented in the district till March, 2022.
On the other hand, the MEPD project would be implemented in the district till
July, 2022 with the financial support of Denmark, he added.
CS Dr. ABM Abu Hanif in his speeches said leprosy is not a curse and it is
like any other diseases and at present, leprosy has become a completely
curable disease in all stages if the patients are taken under proper and
regular treatment programme.
The loss of touch, pain and temperature sensations in the skin, loss of
movement or paralysis of the muscles and loss of sweating and absence of
itching are the early signs of leprosy which mainly spreads through the air,
the CS concluded.
Upazila health and family planning officers (UHFPO), filed level health
staff, NGO representatives, Community-Based Organization (CBO) leaders and
beneficiaries including media men participated in the workshop spontaneously.