Dhaka, Apr 12 (UNB) - Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque on Thursday said the government has been working according to its plan to reduce the rate of leprosy patients by half in the country by 2015.

The minister said this while Yohei Sasakawa, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination and Chairman of Nippon Foundation in Japan, met him at his secretariat office, said a handout.

The number of leprosy patients in the country at present is a little more than 3,000, the meeting was informed.

During the meeting, Sasakawa praised the government for its role to eradicate the disease.

The government is now working to control the disease after being successful to eliminate it and the government will be able to reduce the number of the leprosy patients very soon, the minister hoped.

Yohei Sasakawa arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday on a five-day visit.

During his stay in Dhaka, he will hold a meeting with the concerned people of leprosy elimination project, located at Mohakhali in the city and will visit leprosy treatment hospitals at city’s Mirpur and Srimongol.

Leprosy, an infectious disease is primarily characterized by skin lesions and progressive physical debility, and can cause permanent nerve damage.