RANGPUR, Jan 31, 2022 (BSS) - Experts at a discussion have stressed early

diagnosis and full course treatment of the infectious leprosy disease for
preventing lifelong neuropathy and disability.

  They viewed this at the event arranged by the Kurigram civil surgeon office
with the assistance of Lepra Bangladesh in observance of the World Leprosy
Day-2022 on Sunday.

   The programme was arranged at the civil surgeon's office premises of
Kurigram.

  Civil Surgeon Dr. Manjur-E-Murshid addressed the discussion as the chief
guest with Dr. Hirombo Kumar Roy in the chair.

  Leprosy Medicine expert Dr. ANM Golam Muhaimen Rasel, Medical Officers at
the Civil Surgeon's Office Dr. Debjit Bakshi and Dr. Tausif Tanvir Ratul,
among others, addressed.

  The experts elaborately discussed symptoms of the infectious disease of
leprosy caused by Mycobacterium leprae.

   They said the infection causes disabilities of the eyes, hands, and feet
due to neuropathy, which are often not reversible and may require lifelong
care and rehabilitation.

   The civil surgeon put maximum emphasis on early diagnosis of the disease
and said that full course treatment of leprosy is critical for preventing
lifelong neuropathy and disability.

  "Even in the present time, leprosy still remains poorly understood and
often feared by the general public although it is not highly contagious and
very effective treatment of the disease is now available," he said.

  He stressed creating awareness among people for early diagnosis and
complete treatment to minimize the probability of various kinds of
disabilities to free Bangladesh from the infectious disease by 2030.