Himachal on verge of leprosy elimination: Health official

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 16

Additional Chief Secretary, Health, RD Dhiman on Wednesday said Himachal had reached the elimination stage of leprosy as the prevalence rate is less than one case per 10,000 population.

Dhiman stated this while presiding over a state coordination meeting on the leprosy case detection campaign here today. He said all 12 districts had been rated as low endemic. He said the “Sparsh” leprosy awareness campaign would start on the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30 and culminate on October 2.

He said during the campaign, leprosy case detection would be done in the selected districts of Kangra, Kinnaur and Mandi whereas the focused campaign be started in Bilaspur, Chamba and Shimla where cases of grade-II were found during 2016-17.

Dhiman said the prevalence rate of leprosy during 2017-18 was 0.19 as compared to national average of 0.66. Similarly, the annual new case detection rate was 1.76, which was much higher than the national indicator of 1.02.

He said awareness of leprosy was much higher due to the increased level of information, education and communication (IEC) activities and early detection and treatment. Speaking on the objectives of the campaign, Director, National Health Mission, Manmohan Sharma said a household contact survey would be done by ASHAs and health workers for detection of cases. The major focus would remain on IEC activities for awareness, early detection, prompt treatment and reduction of stigma associated with leprosy patients.

Joint Director, Health, Dr RK Baria said during the awareness campaign, it was envisaged that gram/ward sabhas would be organised in all villages and urban wards.