KUALA PILAH: The District Health Office (PKD) has been conducting early prevention against leprosy through screening and examination of residents in the Chergun and Guntur Orang Asli Villages (KOA) here since last August. KUALA PILAH: The District Health Office (PKD) has been conducting early prevention against leprosy through screening and examination of residents in the Chergun and Guntur Orang Asli Villages (KOA) here since last August. The chairman of the Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) of Kampung Orang Asli Chergun, Sisah Jantan, 50, said health workers also provided medicine to residents and carried out regular check-ups. “The KKM (Ministry of Health) health workers have given us medicine; so far, the situation in the village is under control. We were also given an explanation about the preventive measures that need to be taken. The community does not need to worry; there is a medicine for this disease, and the health workers will conduct regular checks. “This case is the first to occur here; we have conducted two screenings, in August last year and last week,” he told reporters here today. For the Guntur Orang Asli Village JPKK Chairman, Adnan Sulak, 59, said almost all of the approximately 400 villagers had undergone examinations and screenings as directed by the Ministry of Health. “For residents who are not infected, we were given preventive medication starting in August last year. Continuous checks and monitoring are always carried out. We are disappointed that many are spreading false information regarding this disease, which affects residents who work outdoors,” he said. Adnan hopes that this matter will not drag on and that the villagers are ready to await further instructions from the Ministry of Health and provide full cooperation. The media yesterday reported that an 18-year-old girl from Kampung Orang Asli Chergun, Kuala Pilah, was confirmed to have died on Monday due to leprosy, while eight other individuals are being treated. According to the report, the case was first detected on Jan 2, involving nine Orang Asli residents from Kampung Chergun and Guntur. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Rural Development, Plantations, and Commodities Action Committee, Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias, said any in-and-out activities in the two villages were discouraged to ensure that no external transmission occurred. He hopes that the community can work together to eradicate this disease from spreading and provide moral support to affected residents. The Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA) in a statement today announced that residents who have not yet undergone screening will undergo screening this Saturday. — NAMED Share This.