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Faith Katete and Millicent Mtombeni

People suffering from rare diseases and infections should seek specialist medical attention promptly to minimise the risk of spreading them in communities.

 The call came after a 34-year-old Harare man Mr Brighton Manonge was recently cured of a rare, but dangerous type of leprosy by a specialist medical team before the disease could be transmitted to other people. 

Medical specialist in community health, Dr Innocent Hove, who heads Baines Pathology Laboratory for Biopsy, told The Herald on Tuesday that careful analysis of rare conditions and right treatment of patients helps reduce and contain the risk of the infections in society.

“There are rare diseases that are extremely dangerous and can spread faster to other people. As practitioners, we call on people to immediately report to medical institutions as soon as they notice unfamiliar symptoms,” he said.

“We recently had a patient who had a rare, but dangerous type of leprosy that can quickly transmit. We were able to treat him once news of his unfamiliar symptoms filtered to us.”

Baines Pathology Laboratories treated Mr Manonge after he appealed for help when he developed blisters all over his body.

Narrating his ordeal, Mr Manonge said he had lost hope.

 “l started developing blisters, I thought they would end, I continuously got serious, looked for help, but to no avail, I could not tell what I was suffering from until Dr Hove and his team took me and conducted a biopsy,” he said.

“I am now fit and strong to do my everyday work, it’s now a month while l am taking my medication.” 

Mr Manonge said whenever people felt they were suffering from rare unfamiliar infections they should immediately seek medical attention.