Yohei Sasakawa and Papuan children (Jubi)
Jayapura, 24/1 (Jubi) – Yohei Sasakawa, the WHO Ambassador for Leprosy Prevention, said the lepers in Province Papua are higher than other provinces in Indonesia. That’s why he was more interested in visiting Papua.
“The purpose of my visit is to eliminate the leprosy in this island. Since many people have never come to the clinics for treatment of leprosy,” Yohei Sasakawa said, in his visit to prevent the leprosy at Puskesmas Hamadi (Community Health Center), Kota Jayapura, Papua, Friday (24/1)
According to Sasakawa, leprosy is one of the common diseases. Therefore, do not so reluctant to go to nearest health centers or hospitals. Medicines for leprosy have been provided in the health centers for free. If take regular medication the disease would be surely cured,” he said.
Further Sasakawa said the leprosy has already infected many children, it means the lepers have been found among the youngest age. “There had found the young infected among the lepers. So do not cover yourself to check your disease to the health center. If it was not anticipated from the young age, it would caused the disability in adult,” he said.
The Head of Puskesmas Hamadi, Apolonia Yantewo, wishes that the visit from the WHO Ambassador, Yohei Sasakawa, would be able to improve the public awareness and to send the medicines, especially the medicines for lepers. “One of some factors for curing the infected person is a medicine. Thus, I hope our guest who visit this health center can send the medicines to Puskesmas Hamadi, and generally to other health centers in Papua so that the patients could be fully recovered,” she said. (Jubi/Hendrik O. Madai/P. Maizier)
