The WHO country office in Egypt, in collaboration with the leprosy control unit in the Ministry of Health and Population, organized a series of training activities for health care workers on leprosy control and treatment.
This training was organized in Aswan, Luxor and Qena, and focused on leprosy diagnosis and treatment protocol. The training targeted health care providers – dermatologists, nurses, and social workers – working in leprosy control units, in the 3 governorates.
Fifteen health workers were trained in Aswan, where the detection rate was 1.01 per 10 000 population and 15 cases of leprosy were confirmed in 2017.
In Luxor, 25 dermatologists from leprosy clinical units in Luxor and Qena were trained on the treatment regimen for patients with negative reactions to treatment.
In 2017, Luxor had 52 newly confirmed cases and Qena 64. Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. Leprosy is known to occur at all ages ranging from early infancy to very old age. It is curable and early treatment averts most disabilities.