An Analysis Of The National Leprosy Eradication Program

Kirti Chanani, BBA LLB, SLS Nagpur

ABSTRACT

Leprosy a chronic infectious public health challenge is caused by a slowly multiplying acid fast bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. An untreated leprosy- affected person is the only known source of infection. Our aim was to study the trend in the prevalence of leprosy in the health care facility, to compare the leprosy burden in urban and rural field practice area under the health facility, to identify any gaps/loopholes in the implementation of the NLEP and to recommend remedial measures to address the gaps.

National Leprosy Eradication Program (NLEP) was launched in 1983 with the goal of elimination of leprosy as a public health problem. The main goals of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), a Centrally Sponsored Health Scheme, are to lessen disease burden, prevent disability, and raise public knowledge of leprosy and its curability. As a follow-up to the National Leprosy Control Program of 1955, it was started in 1983. Single lesion cases among new cases were 10% but vary from area to area. It varies from 22% in Wardha to more than 80% in Tamil Nadu, India.