Health screenings, medication provided since Aug last year as Kuala Pilah combats leprosy outbreak in Orang Asli villages

KUALA PILAH, Feb 20 — The Kuala Pilah District Health Office has taken proactive measures to prevent the spread of leprosy by conducting health screenings on residents in Kampung Orang Asli Chergun and Kampung Orang Asli Guntur since August last year.

The Kampung Orang Asli Chergun Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) chairman Sisah Jantan, 50, said health officials have provided residents with medication and conducted regular health screenings to monitor the situation.

“The Ministry of Health (MOH) officers also provided us with medication. So far, the situation in this village is under control, and we have received explanations about the preventive measures we should take. The community need not worry, as there is medication for this disease, and health officers are conducting regular checks,” she told reporters, today.

Sisah explained that this was the first case in the village, and they had conducted two screenings — one in August last year and another last week.

Meanwhile, the Kampung Orang Asli Guntur JPKK chairman Adnan Sulak, 59, said that the villagers had been impacted by the negative perceptions spread by some, which had slightly disrupted their daily activities.

He said that nearly all of the approximately 400 villagers had undergone examinations and screenings, as instructed by health authorities.

“For those who are uninfected, we have been provided with preventative medication since August of last year. Continuous screenings and monitoring are conducted regularly. We are disheartened by the spread of false information about the disease, which has impacted residents working outside the village,” he said.

Adnan expressed his hope that the situation would be resolved swiftly, and that the villagers were prepared to follow any further instructions from the MOH, offering their full cooperation.

Yesterday, media reports confirmed the death of an 18-year-old Orang Asli girl from Kampung Chergun on Monday, who passed away due to leprosy, while eight others are currently receiving treatment.

The case was first detected on January 2, involving nine Orang Asli residents from Kampung Chergun and Kampung Guntur, according to the report.

Meanwhile, state Rural Development, Plantation and Commodity Action Committee chairman Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said that, while control measures are being enforced, any in-and-out activities at the two affected villages should be minimised, to prevent the risk of external transmission.

Jalaluddin, who is also a senior executive councillor, called on all communities to work together in eradicating the disease and to offer moral support to the residents impacted by the outbreak.

In a related development, the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) issued a statement, today, confirming that screenings will be conducted this Saturday for residents who have not yet been tested.

“Jakoa is deeply concerned about the spread of leprosy in these two villages, which led to the tragic death of an Orang Asli teenager. Both the state Jakoa and the District Health Office have already taken proactive steps to address the situation,” the statement read. — Bernama