In a survey of over 1,000 patients with leprosy, 47 cases ( 4.4 per cent) were found to have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. A controlled clinical study suggests that such a deficiency does not modify the overall response to therapy but may predispose to a greater tendency to leprosy reactions. All patients were receiving 600 to 800 mgm. of sulphone per week and none had a frank haemolytic anaemia.
1. A good opportunity exists in Malaya for any national leprosy control. Institutional care is of the best that is available and it is felt that it has reached the saturation stage. Field work has not been established.
2. Thus leprosy has remained more of a medical problem than health.
3. Owing to the absence of any health education on leprosy, there exists an extensive gulf between the patient and the public thus creating problems of rehabilitation. The main rehabilitation performed by the government is on the employment of a few discharged patients in leprosy institutions. Though the objective of the Malayan Leprosy Relief Association is to rehabilitate, time is needed, and it may be years before the discharged patients can expect any benefits.
4. The apathy of medical officers towards serving in the Leprosaria is evidenced by the fact that since the establishment of the Leprosaria, barring 2-3 local officers, all have been outsiders on contract or otherwise. The World Health Organisation has offered a fellowship for six months and there has been no applicant from the medical officers in the Federation .
A case of sarcoidosis is reported in the hope that this seemingly rare disease in Malaysia will be better recognised. A brief review of the literature is made and various points regarding the aetiology, pathology, clinical features and diagnosis are discussed.
MeSH terms: Case Reports; Diagnosis*; Humans; Malaysia; Neoplasms/epidemiology*; Pathology*; Sarcoidosis*