Noakhali Correspondent:
Health experts at a training workshop on Monday said persons affected by leprosy can detect new cases within their own families and ensure timely treatment aiming towards leprosy elimination from Bangladesh.
They made these remarks at an orientation program titled ‘New leprosy case findings within family’ in Noakhali, arranged by The Leprosy Mission International-Bangladesh (TLMI-B).
The program at Noakhali Zilla Parishad building was attended by leprosy patients from Noakhali, Laxmipur and Chandpur, most of them have completed their Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) treatment and fully recovered. 
Noakhali Sadar Upazila Health & Family Planning Officer (UHFPO) Dr Md Mahbubur Rahman, MBBS, BCS (Health), said “Leprosy patients can play an important role in identifying new case and this will surely contribute to the country’s goal to eliminate leprosy by 2035.”
Dr Mahbubur Rahman also appreciated the initiative by TLMI-B and urged the leprosy affected persons to work for safety of their own family members.
Attending the orientation program, TLMI-B Technical Officer Anthony Quiah, provided training to persons affected by leprosy about the easy tips to identify leprosy in the early stage.
Anthony urged the persons affected by leprosy to use their own life experience in detecting new leprosy case in their own families.
Noakhali Sadar Upazila TB & Leprosy Control Assistant (TLCA) Iman Hossain said “A leprosy patient can actively volunteer in new case detection and ensure early treatment of their loved ones.”
TLMI-B has been arranging orientation programs in Noakhali, Laxmipur and Chandpur for over six months for leprosy affected people as they can examine their family members and identify leprosy patients and bring them under treatment early. 
Attending the event, TLMI-B Project Officer Roton Malo, said the main objective of the orientation program was to make persons affected by leprosy aware and eligible in finding new case within their own families as they have the necessary knowledge for checking or testing skins of their family members.
Persons affected by leprosy said the orientation organized by TLMI-B will help them a lot to detect new leprosy case within their families as well as in their friend circle and neighbors.
