Leprosy no longer a public health concern, says minister

Saturday, February 05, 2011

THE Government is moving to take the decades old Leprosy Act off Jamaica's law books as the disease is no longer a public health concern.

"There is no need to isolate persons suffering from this disease. The prevalence of this disease is very low in Jamaica at less than one case per ten thousand for the population; it is therefore regarded as having achieved elimination status and is no longer a public health concern," Health Minister Rudyard Spencer told Parliament on Tuesday while opening debate on the Health and Allied Professions and Services Miscellaneous Penalty Provisions Bill (2010).

The Bill which will, among other things, amend the provisions relating to penalties and monetary obligations in legislation relating to certain health services also made provision for the revision of what Spencer said were the "archaic and inhumane provisions under the Leprosy Act".

He said the ministry on further review of the legislation was of the opinion that although there are still persons with leprosy otherwise known as Hansen's disease in Jamaica the commencement of modern multi-drug treatments renders the victims non-infectious and produces a cure if taken as prescribed for the period required. As such he said the government no longer operates a leprosarium, with the main leprosarium which was sited in St Catherine being closed in the 1980s.

In the meantime, the Bill will amend the provisions relating to penalties and monetary obligations in legislation relating to certain health services.

"The penalty for breaching the provisions of legislation relating to certain health and allied professions have remained unchanged on the books unchanged for decades and are no longer a serious deterrent to non-compliance in these professions.

The purpose of the Bill is to amend several pieces of legislation administered by the Ministry of Health in order to increase the penalties under the legislation to a more realistic level so as to deter persons from purporting to offer medical and support services without being properly registered or supervised by the relevant authorities," Spencer said.

Opposition spokesperson on health Dr Fenton Ferguson, in commenting on the proposals which he said were not controversial, said the Opposition was in support of the repeal of the Leprosy Act and the suggested changes in the penalties for breaches.

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Leprosy no longer a public health concern, says minister