ELIMINATE LEPROSY FROM WESTERN PACIFIC REGION BY 2014 - WHO

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- Come 2014, the World Health Organisation
(WHO) hopes to eliminate leprosy from countries in the Western Pacific Region.

Its regional director for the Western Pacific, Dr Shin Young-Soo, said
although most countries in the region were currently leprosy-free, there were
reports on the disease in a few Pacific island countries.

"I also want to pull back a little to look at some 'old-fashioned' diseases.
Diseases that once attracted a great deal of attention but have, for a number of
years, been neglected.

"We have unfinished business with leprosy, with lymphatic filariasis and
with yaws. I also wish to see lymphatic filariasis and yaws banished from the
Pacific," he said in his speech at the opening of the 61st session of the WHO
Regional Committee Meeting for the Western Pacific here Monday.

According to the WHO website, leprosy was eliminated from 119 out of 122
countries where the disease was considered a public health problem in 1985.

Efforts currently focus on eliminating leprosy at a national level in the
remaining endemic countries, and at a sub-national level from the others.

The five-day meeting which began Monay, will review WHO's work in the
region in a number of areas such as health systems strengthening and primary
health care, women's health and healthy settings, among others.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai is heading the Malaysian team
comprising nine delegates and seven observers.

Malaysia, which is hosting the meeting after a lapse of 16 years, had
previously organised the 21st session in 1974 and the 45th session in 1994.

-- BERNAMA