Anti-leprosy day and sparsh leprosy awareness campaign held

PASIGHAT, Feb 2: The anti-leprosy day was celebrated at DMO’s Office premises today in a 

befitting manner. The programme started with paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait by lighting candles and garlanding by Chief Guest and other dignitaries including health workers, 

doctors and public, maintaining Covid-19 SOP. 

The Chief Guest, Dr. Radesh Tatan (DMO) addressed the gathering on the leprosy disease and the stigma attached to the disease. The DMO appreciated the innovative way of carrying out the SPARSH Leprosy Awareness Campaign (SLAC) by the District Leprosy Officer (DLO) Dr. T. 

Talom and advised the District Health Society to create mass awareness among the people in the 

district. 

Earlier, Dr. Tarik Talom, District Leprosy Officer (DLO) while welcoming the participants and 

briefing aims and objectives of the program said that observation of this day provide an 

opportunity to create mass awareness about Leprosy disease to educate common people and 

remove the misconception of the diseases. He also briefed out the progress data of NLEP 

programme activities under District Health Society, East Siang District since pre-MDT to till 

date. The DLO informed that there are 8 leprosy cases under treatment in East Siang district 

which are multi-bacillary cases. He also briefed on Micobacterium leprae the causive organism 

of leprosy, transmission of the disease, clinical science and symptoms and treatment of leprosy 

disease and its ill effect. 

He further mentioned that 30th January is observed as Martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi as anti-leprosy day. As per the Government of India SPARSH Leprosy Awareness campaign (SLAC) is 

carried out from 30th January to 13th February every year. The same is being carrying out in East Siang District to create awareness and volunteer reporting of new cases in the district. 

Input by DLO.