The National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Center (NTLCP), says it has targeted 21,000 persons for treatment under its leprosy preventive campaign in six states in the country.
Dr Tahir Dahiru, the Director-General of the programme, stated this at the inauguration of the National Leprosy Control Programme tagged: ‘Ready 4PEP project,’ on Tuesday in Misau local government area of Bauchi.
Dahiru said that persons with suspected leprosy cases would be administered a Single Dose Rifampicin Post Exposure Prophylaxis (SDR-PEP) under the Ready 4PEP project across the six selected states.
He said that project was a four-year pilot programme to be implemented in Bauchi, Niger, Jigawa, Kebbi, Ebonyi and Cross Rivers states.
He said the project focused at tracing social and family contact with patients while old and new confirmed cases would receive the SDR-PEP treatment.
“The treatment is in single dose targeted at social and family contacts of confirmed leprosy patients in the selected areas.
“The pilot exercise was according to the work plan for three years.
“However, baseline survey was delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic, and the donors agreed for the project to run from 2020 to 2023,” he said.
In a remark, Mr Umman Bassey, an official of the NTLCP, said the SDR-PEP was a strategy towards achieving zero leprosy infection, disease and disability.
He said that the treatment was suitable for children and adults.
“In 2019; 2,424 new leprosy cases were reported. Nigeria is among the 23 countries that contributed 97 per cent of the world leprosy burden.
“The implementation of the programme is a multi-stakeholder project to be conducted in Nigeria and Mozambique,” he said.
He said that the initiative would be implemented in collaboration between the Netherland Leprosy Relief and International Leprosy, Tuberculosis Relief in Nigeria.
According to him, the project is aimed at implementing active case search, contact screening and administration of the SDR-PEP single dose.
He said that health personnel were trained and provided with adequate logistics to facilitate smooth conduct of the exercise.
Also speaking, Dr Sani Dambam, Chairman, Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA), said that Shira and Misau were selected for the pilot exercise due to high prevalence rate in the areas.
In his remark, the Emir of Misau, Suleiman Ahmed, lauded the Federal Government for its efforts to curb leprosy in the country.
He also commended all the stakeholders in the programme for their interventions aimed at improving public health.
About 3,500 persons are targeted for treatment in Bauchi State, while five leprosy treatment centers designated for the exercise in Misau LGA.
