Vietnam targets to eliminate leprosy by 2030

11/06/2008 -- 7:36 PM

Hanoi (VNA) – A conference on the national anti-leprosy program has heard how Vietnam has accelerated efforts to beat leprosy in order to eliminate the disease by 2030. According to the Health Ministry, the country has met the World Health Organisation’s leprosy elimination target with the prevalence of the disease now less than 1 case per 10,000 people. The ministry attributed the success to the implementation of the National Programme on Prevention and Combat of Leprosy from 1995 to 2007. Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen said on June 11 that her ministry will prioritise the fight against leprosy in areas where the prevalence of the disease is still high in addition to developing community-based leprosy prevention programs to achieve the set target of “a leprosy-free society”. It plans to continue integrating the fight against leprosy in primary healthcare programs and further improve functional rehabilitation for people disabled by leprosy. In 2007, Vietnam detected 552 new lepers, placing the country behind the Philippines , China and Malaysia in terms of the new case detection in Asia . The Health Ministry said there are 506 lepers undergoing treatment and 640 others totally cured of the disease. At present, leprosy is still found in 26 out of the country’s 64 provinces and cities. The number of people disabled because of leprosy in Vietnam remain high compared with other regional countries.-Enditem
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