Leprosy: Preventive steps in place in 2 Orang Asli villages since August

The Kuala Pilah district health office has taken proactive measures to prevent the spread of leprosy by conducting health screenings on residents in Kampung Orang Asli Chergun and Kampung Orang Asli Guntur since August last year.

The Kampung Orang Asli Chergun Village Development and Security Committee chairperson Sisah Jantan, 50, said health officials have provided residents with medication and conducted regular health screenings to monitor the situation.

“The Health Ministry officers also provided us with medication. So far, the situation in this village is under control, and we have received explanations about the preventive measures we should take.

“The community need not worry, as there is medication for this disease, and health officers are conducting regular checks,” she told reporters today.

Sisah explained that this was the first case in the village, and they had conducted two screenings - one in August last year and another last week.

Negative perceptions

The Kampung Orang Asli Guntur Village Development and Security Committee chairperson Adnan Sulak, 59, said that the villagers had been impacted by the negative perceptions of some, which had slightly disrupted their daily activities.

He said that nearly all of the approximately 400 villagers had undergone examinations and screenings, as instructed by health authorities.

“For those who are uninfected, we have been provided with preventative medication since August of last year. Continuous screenings and monitoring are conducted regularly.

“We are disheartened by the spread of false information about the disease, which has impacted residents working outside the village,” he said.

Adnan expressed his hope that the situation would be resolved swiftly and that the villagers were prepared to follow any further instructions from the Health Ministry, offering their full cooperation.

Leprosy deaths

Yesterday, media reports confirmed the death of an 18-year-old Orang Asli girl from Kampung Chergun on Monday, who passed away due to leprosy, while eight others are receiving treatment.

The case was first detected on Jan 2, involving nine Orang Asli residents from Kampung Chergun and Kampung Guntur, according to the report.

State Rural Development, Plantation and Commodity Action Committee chairperson Jalaluddin Alias said that while control measures are being enforced, any in-and-out activities at the two affected villages should be minimised, to prevent the risk of external transmission.

Jalaluddin, who is also a senior executive councillor, called on all communities to work together to eradicate the disease and to offer moral support to the residents impacted by the outbreak.

In a related development, the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) issued a statement, today, confirming that screenings will be conducted this Saturday for residents who have not yet been tested.

“Jakoa is deeply concerned about the spread of leprosy in these two villages, which led to the tragic death of an Orang Asli teenager.

“Both the state Jakoa and the district health office have already taken proactive steps to address the situation,” the statement read.

- Bernama

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