The service for leprosy control began in the micro-region of Picos in 1984, after a visit of Brother Roggero Caccia Dominioni to his friend Father Erminio Pegorari, a Combonian missionary.

Visiting the inland communities, Br. Roggero took the opportunity to observe some people affected by Hansen’s disease, who didn’t know to be sick, and consequently didn’t undergo therapy.

As Br. Roggero had been working in the training hospital Saint Camilo and Saint Louis in Macapà for seven years, occupied especially with lepers, he pointed out the problem of the sick to the Bishop Dom Augusto Alves da Rocha, since no medical cares existed for that disease in the region.

After visiting the Governor of the State, the Secretary of Health and other authorities, the program for leprosy control could be started in the micro-region of Picos, where we are working up today, in agreement with State Secretariat of Health, represented by the IX Regional Executive Board of Health of Picos, by the Regional Hospital Justino Luz, the XIV Regional Executive Board of Fronteiras, and the regional Secretariats of that micro-region.

We got full support from the Diocese of Picos and the Grand Magistry of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

The area checked by the Order of Malta for Hansen’s disease include about 40 cities nearby Picos.

Besides these cities, we help the leprosy control program in the district of Araripina-Pernambuco, which includes other cities of that area.

Over 950 new cases of leprosy have been detected from 1985 to 2002.

The service for leprosy control of Picos follows up 2000 persons every year, for a total of about 5000 specialist dermatological and neurological medical visits, to detect leprosy and distinguish this disease from other dermatitis with sensitivity tests, microscopy, biopsies, vaccinations with BCG. For an effective work, we trust on the aid of the Order of Malta, and on the contributions of benefactors, whom we thank very heartily.

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