50 new cases of leprosy have been reported throughout the country, among them children. If Haiti is one of the countries with low density of leprosy case, this skin disease remains worrying because it can lead to handicaps.

These figures were revealed in a document produced by the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO). Of these 50 cases, two particularly attract the attention of officials: a 14-year-old girl developing a disability that manifests by a limitation of motor skills in the arms and a six-year-old girl with a dozen skin lesions hypopigmented and anesthetics on the trunk evolving since 2 years.

The case of these two girls worries the authorities who believe that we must strengthen the campaign for the eradication of this disease conducted for more than 60 years. "It's quite relevant because these two children diagnosed with leprosy have to grow up and enjoy their lives," said Dr. Madge Dorcelus of the National Leprosy Control Program, which says the Ministry of Health is planning to build a national strategic plan before the end of 2018 in which will be included a Physio-therapeutic support, reassuring however, that the situation of Haiti in the face of leprosy is not catastrophic.

Note that several health institutions deal with leprosy in Haiti: Cardinal Léger hospital in Léogâne, the Institute of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases (IDMI) in Port-au-Prince and the dermatological clinic Saint-Damien to Gonaives. Since 2012, approximately 300 patients have been treated in these three centers. The West and North West are the departments where a larger number of leprosy cases have been reported.

If the numbers are not alarming, each case should be taken care of at the earliest, if the leprosy is not treated in time it can cause a handicap. "If you notice an unusual spot of a reddish, senseless color, you need to be diagnosed quickly to avoid complications," says Dr. Dorcelus.

In addition, stigma associated with leprosy remains an obstacle to ending transmission. Affected individuals are often reluctant to be diagnosed or seek help. The Ministry is putting in place a vast awareness campaign to prevent transmission, to raise the awareness of the affected person, to prevent acute cases and cases of disability developed as a result of leprosy.

HL/ HaitiLibre