Jakarta, Jan 14: Indonesia ranked fourth in the number of leprosy patients in the world after India, Brazil and Nepal, an official said. "Based on the World Health organisation's 1997 report, the number of the country's leprosy patients was recorded at 107,271 or ranked third after India and Brazil while in 2002, the number decreased to 19,805 patients," Umar Fahmi Achmadi, a director general at the health ministry said here on Tuesday.
He said the country's success in curbing the number of leprosy patients was thanks to the people's active role, notably, in having them examined at community health centers for possible symptoms of the disease.
According to him, one in every 10,000 people suffered leprosy in 13 provinces in the country - Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, Jakarta, East Java, East Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku, Gorontalo and Papua.
"The number is expected to drop in 2005 as the WHO will provide drugs in assistance and the people can obtain the drugs at every community health center free of charge," Umar said. Indonesia still has 16,239 leprosy patients in 2003 and the number of patients who have recovered from the disease reached 286,313 in the past 20 years.
Bureau Report