§ 23. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in respect of leprosy research and treatment in the Colonies; what is the estimated number in colonial areas affected by this disease and receiving treatment, respectively; and in particular in West Africa.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsImportant research work is being conducted with promising results, particularly in the development of a form of sulphone treatment by oral administration requiring the minimum of medical supervision.
I regret that exact statistics of the disease are not readily available. Some indication of the problem is given by a comprehensive survey of the East and Central African territories last year, which resulted in an estimate of 265,000 cases in the region. Surveys are now in progress in West Africa. The newer forms of treatment are everywhere available.