The number of new cases has been growing during the past four years.

Recently there has been an outbreak of leprosy affecting 24 people living in displaced people's centres in Honiara.

Over the past year there have been 115 cases of leprosy reported in Kiribati and 20 new cases in Samoa.

In New Zealand, 11 new cases were reported over the past 12 months, according to the Ministry of Health.

Pacific Leprosy Foundation general manager Jill Tomlinson said that as far as her organisation was aware all New Zealand cases were from infected people coming from overseas.

"Cases in leprosy tend to come in clusters as it is a disease that is transmitted by contact," she said.

Source

• Radio New Zealand International
• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Leperpriest.blogspot.co.nz

The Salesians through Salesian Missions, Australia, have funded the manufacture of drum ovens, tables and chairs for the victims of the recent floods in Solomon Islands.

The machine fitting students at Don Bosco Technical Institute are making drum ovens for the most needy families in the Foxwood and Nalibiu area.

The carpentry students will be making tables and chairs for the Tumurora Primary School.

240 flood victims from the Foxwood and Nalibiu areas, and from Tumurora Primary School, spent 15 days at the Don Bosco Technical School.

They were all transported back to their homes on 23rd April by the Guadalcanal Province.

Aid agencies provided them with tools and food to help them clean up their homes, and to help them to start re-planting their gardens and rebuilding their lives.

Fr Ambrose Pereira says that while rehabilitation goes on, there is a need to work out long term solutions to deal with disasters - natural or man-made.

More important, the task of reconstruction needs forward planning and committed action over the months and the years ahead.

"Without doubt, education plays an important part in the ability to assist and deal with difficulties and disasters."

Pereira says it is also important that infrastructure specifications are clear and that building codes are adhered to.

"We are grateful to all who have assisted in several ways to ensure that those affected are able to deal amicably with the situation," he said.

Source

• Supplied by Fr Ambrose Pereira
• ANS
• Image: Supplied by Fr Ambrose Pereira