Health workers from several hinterland districts are being trained at the Palms buildings, Brickdam to detect and manage cases of leprosy.
According to a GINA press release, Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton, addressing the health care providers on Wednesday, said the training will create awareness and build the capacity of the hinterland health workers, and simultaneously, boost the national leprosy programme, the release stated.
In the last two decades, Guyana reported 31 new cases of leprosy. Hansen’s disease also known as leprosy is caused by a slow-growing type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. Leprosy primarily affects the skin and the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. The main symptom of leprosy is disfiguration of the skin, sores, lumps, or bumps that do not go away after several weeks or months.
