XN000022-1975-03-19 — Page 24

23 A

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1975

LEPROSY CASES CLARIFIED

X X X

THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT WISHES TO CLARIFY THE POSITION IN REGARD TO LEPROSY AS A DISEASE AND THE LEPROSY CASES IN THE LAI CHI KOK HOSPITAL.

THERE SEENS TO BE A NUMBER OF MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING THE NATURE AND THE MODE OF TRANSMISSION OF THE DISEASE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT TODAY EMPHASISED THAT LEPROSY HAS BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TO BE A DISEASE OF LOW INFECTIVITY, AND TRANSMISSION EVEN THROUGH LONG AND CLOSE CONTACT DOES NOT INVARTADLY HAPPEN.

THE DISEASE IS NOT TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE AIR. IT IS ALSO NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE DISEASE TO BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH EXCRETA OR THROUGH CONTAMINATION OF FOOD. OR DRINK.

IN FACT, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, WHO, RECOMMENDED THAT ISOLATION OF LEPROSY CASES IS NOT NECESSARY DECAUSE ONCE A PATIENT IS UNDER TREATMENT HE IS RAPIDLY RENDERED NON-INFECTIOUS.

THE OLD BELIEFS THAT LEPROSY IS HEREDITARY OR SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED ARE TOTALLY UNFOUNDED.

AS FOR THE PRESENT PATIENTS IN LAI CHI KOK HOSPITAL, THE MAIN REASON WHY THE MAJORITY ARE BEING ACCOMMODATED THERE IS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT REALLY PATIENTS IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD, BUT HAVING NO HOMES TO GO TO THEY ARE GIVEN ÷HOSTEL◊ ACCOMMODATION IN THE HOSPITAL. A FEW OF THESE CASES ARE THERE ALSO BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE ATTENTION FOR THEIR RESIDUAL DEFORMITIES. THE CASES AT LAI CHI KOK HOSPITAL, THEREFORE, POSE NO SIGNIFICANT HEALTH THREATS TO THE STAFF AND OTHER PATIENTS AT THE HOSPITAL ITSELF AS WELL AS PEOPLE IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

AS FOR THE FACILITIES FOR THIS GROUP OF PATIENTS AT THE HOSPITAL, IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THESE ARE MEDICALLY ADEQUATE. IT IS TO BE POINTED OUT THAT THE PATIENTS THEMSELVES ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENT AND ARE WELL SETTLED IN THE NEW ENVIRONMENT.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

IN VIEW OF THE PRESS INTEREST IN THIS MATTER. THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES CORDIALLY INVITES MEMBERS OF THE PRESS WHO ARE INTERESTED TO PAY A VISIT TO THE LEPROSY WARD OF THE LAI CHI KOK HOSPITAL. THEY ARE REQUESTED TO ASSEMBLE AT THE LOWER MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE LAI CHĮ KOK HOSPITAL, CASTLE PEAK ROAD, NOT LATER THAN 10.30 AM TOMORROW (THURSDAY 20TH MARCH, 1975). HOWEVER, FOR ETHICAL REASONS AND TO SAFEGUARD THE PRIVACY OF THE PATIENTS, HEMDERS OF THE PRESS ARE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED TO ENSURE THAT NO PHOTOS ARE TO DE TAKEN.

/24