Seven leprosy cases detected in Barishal

BARISHAL, Aug 28: Seven people have been diagnosed with leprosy in five skin camps held in Barishal Sadar Upazila this year. 
Around 1,200 people received healthcare at the camps funded by the Leprosy Mission.
 
Of them, 25 people were suspected of having leprosy. Tests later confirmed the disease in seven. This means 28 percent of those suspected were found to have leprosy. The figure has raised concerns about the scale of undetected cases in the district.

According to the Civil Surgeon’s Office, 10 leprosy cases were detected in Barishal District in 2024. The number rose to 12 in 2025. 

That was a 20 percent increase in one year. Of the 12 patients detected last year, 10 were men. Health officials say the actual number of patients could be higher. Many people do not seek treatment at the early stage.

As a result, fewer detected cases do not necessarily mean fewer cases. The five camps in Sadar Upazila show why active screening is important. More camps are planned in nine other upazilas of the district. Barishal has 10 upazilas. Treatment assistants are working in Gournadi, Wazirpur, Babuganj and Mehendiganj upazilas.

Atikur Rahman, a programme organiser under the Global Fund-supported National Tuberculosis Control Programme, is involved in field-level leprosy detection and treatment.

Medical Officer Dr Md Ejaz Hossain examines patients at the skin camps. Suspected patients are referred to the Civil Surgeon’s Office for further tests. Those confirmed with leprosy are then given treatment. Bangladesh aims to become leprosy-free by 2030. But officials admit that finding patients early remains a major challenge.

Barishal Civil Surgeon Dr Md Saiyedur Rahman said, “Lack of awareness is one of the main barriers to controlling the disease. He said many patients also fail to inform doctors about their symptoms. The latest figures suggest that the challenge is not only to reduce the number of patients. It is also to find those who remain undetected.’