Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: State Lepra Society here Monday launched a joint mission aimed at eradicating cases of filaria and leprosy in collaboration with the state government as part of the ‘Mission Sankalp’. The mission will focus on seven blocks of Puri and Nayagarh districts in three years.
A number of people from the society and also from the state health department were present during the launch of the mission which aims at formation of self-help groups to tackle vector control measures, demonstrating sanitation measures, creating educated community leaders, organising awareness campaigns and other means to eliminate the bacterial diseases.
State coordinator of the society S N Pati who is also the consultant of National Leprosy Eradication Mission told Orissa POST, “Earlier such experiments in Bihar have yielded good results. Before this mission we tried to tackle filaria in Puri four years ago. But now we want to eliminate both the diseases together due to their biological similarity and their similar social and economic consequences.”
The project has been funded by the Lepra Society of UK whose representatives were also present during the launching event.
State health services director Chitaranjan Nayak said, “The mission offers hope for the people affected by both the diseases. But it is also important to note that solutions cannot be expected only from the government side or through the aid of voluntary organisations. People also need to take preventative steps like taking preventive pills to check this disease among other precautions.”
