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Brazil launches media campaign to fight leprosy
October 21, 1996
Web posted at: 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT)RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (CNN) - The Brazilian government has launched a national television and radio campaign to educate people about leprosy, a highly contagious disease that has become epidemic in some regions of the country.
Health officials estimate that as many as half a million people are afflicted with the disease. An average of 100 new cases are reported each day.
Leprosy is a disease that primarily afflicts the skin and nerves. If left untreated, it can cause paralysis and disfigurement. Once considered a punishment from God, leprosy is a disease that carries a social stigma as well.
Early diagnosis and treatment of the disease are crucial to containing its spread.
"With the medications now available for treatment, this disease could have been eradicated. Instead it's a serious problem," said Arturo Custodio Moreira, an expert on the disease.
Health officials are targeting high poverty areas, where the disease is spreading most rapidly. The new media campaign teaches people how to identify leprosy and encourages them to see a doctor as soon as they suspect they may have the disease.
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