Leprosy: An urgent need to step up surveillance

Final leprosy push: Out of society

“…We read with great interest a letter to editor, leprosy: An urgent need to step up surveillance by Dev et al . [ 1 ] As leprosy is an old disease of social stigma, disabilities, and deformities caused by low virulent mycobacterium leprae and the disease have been eliminated at the national level in December 2005, there are still cases from various districts and blocks that make a prevalence rate >1/10,000 population. As per the epidemiological situation, as on March 2016, approximately 127,326 new leprosy cases detected and 86,028 cases are on record as of March 31 st , 2016.…”

“…In addition, the percentage of Grade II disability among new cases detected has been increased to 4.61% between 2014 and 2015, which indicates that the cases are being detected late in the community and there may be several cases which are lying undetected or hidden. [ 2 ] The author[ 1 ] has stressed on active surveillance for new cases and essential to find out the hidden cases in the community and stressed on the fact that government should seriously consider active surveillance routinely and through awareness campaign mode at least once or twice a year. In view of this and an attempt to eliminate from high endemic and eradicate from the society, the Central Leprosy Division under Union Health Ministry followed certain strategy for the final push that were in streamline with global leprosy strategy.…”