The Misau Local Government Chapter of the Association of Leprosy Survivors has embarked on a campaign to sensitise residents to participate in ongoing vaccination to curb the spread of the disease.
The Chairman of the association, Mr. Babangida Ahmed, told News men in Bauchi on Wednesday that the exercise was aimed at ensuring maximum participation to safeguard public health.
Ahmed said that social and family contacts of confirmed leprosy patients in the local government would be vaccinated during the exercise.
He added that the exercise would educate the people on the channels of transmitting the virus and create awareness on signs and symptoms of the disease.
“The Association has 70 members of which all of us were leprosy patients in the past. This (campaign) is an effort to contribute to the fight against the disease.
“We are in the community and we are a clear example to the people that the disease is preventable and can be cured,’’ Ahmed said.
Reports indicated that the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief, Jos, embarked on the vaccination in July.
It uses the single dose of Rifampicin Post Exposure Prophylaxis (SDR-PEP) as a strategy to zero leprosy infection in Bauchi state.
