New guidelines released for national leprosy eradication programme in India

The Central Leprosy Division of Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India in association with Novartis Comprehensive Leprosy Care Association (NCLCA) and Tata Department of Plastic Surgery, JJ Hospital has  released new guidelines on disability, prevention and medical rehabilitation (DPMR) for National Leprosy Eradication Program in India.

The new guidelines include proper management of leprosy cases and the complication developed before, during and after treatment. It also envisages involvement of medical college as tertiary care centre in order to reach the constructive surgery and physical aids and appliances required for proper management of leprosy related complication. The guidelines will also strengthen referral centres in the district in the filed area.

Dr C M Agarwal, Deputy Director General, Leprosy, Government of India said, “the aim was to modify the existing operational guidelines meant for primary, secondary and tertiary levels and bring out a comprehensive volumes of guidance, for better coordination at all levels. “It was also felt that the guidelines will be very useful to reduce visible disability due to leprosy in the coming years.”

 Ms.Neela Shah Managing Director, Novartis Comprehensive Leprosy Care Association (NCLCA) said, “We have been collaborating with the government of India and state government closely to decrease the disability with innovative disability care modalities and have done with thousands of patients. We would like to overall decrease of leprosy related disability in the community.”

The DPMR activities are scheduled to be carried out in a three-tier system i e the primary level care (First level), secondary level care (second level) and the tertiary level care institutions (third level).

National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) is implemented with major objectives of reducing the disease burden, preventing disabilities and to improve awareness about leprosy in the country through general health care system. The aim is to decrease the visible disabilities to less than 1 per 10,000,00 population in the community in next five years.

(arshia.khan@infomedia18.in)