NATIONAL

LEPROSY
ERADICATION
PROGRAMME
Angitha Manohar S
LEPROSY as per WHO

● Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria,

Mycobacterium leprae.
● The disease predominantly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Left untreated,
the disease may cause progressive and permanent disabilities.
● The bacteria are transmitted via droplets from the nose and mouth during close
and frequent contact with untreated cases.
● Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT).
● Leprosy is reported from all the six WHO Regions; the majority of annual new case
detections are from South-East Asia.
Introduction
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, centrally
sponsors the National Leprosy Eradication Programme. Under the administrative
supervision of the Directorate General Health Services Government of India, the
Programme is run by the Deputy Director of Health Services (Leprosy). The NLEP
policies and plans are developed centrally, but the States/UTs are responsible for
implementing the project. The International Federation of Anti-Leprosy
Associations (ILEP), the World Health Organization, and a select number of other
non-governmental organisations also support the programmes as
Partners.National Leprosy Control Programme (NLCP) was launched by the Govt.
of India in 1954- 55. Multi Drug Therapy (MDT) came into wide use from 1982,
and the National Leprosy Eradication Programme was introduced in 1983.
Objectives of NLEP

Early case detection

To provide domiciliary treatment to render infectious cases to non-infectious

To detect all cases of leprosy irrespective of endemicity of the area

To treat all detected cases of leprosy and its complication till its cure or
recovery

To impart training to all categories of health personnel

VISION of NLEP
Vision:

1. The Attainment of Leprosy Free Status for the People of India

2. To recommend grant in aid to various voluntary agencies engaged in anti-leprosy work

3. To promote medico surgical rehabilitation of the disease arrested deformed cases.

4. To encourage research on various aspects of leprosy

Strategies
- Early case detection

- Short term multi drug therapy (MDT)

- Health education

- Rehabilitation services

- Identifying case detection and MDT coverage in high prevalence states and areas difficult to access

- Strengthening laboratory services PHC/CHC, establishing surveillance

- Preparing for and initiating horizontal integration of leprosy program in to primary health care system,

- Providing greater emphasizes on disability prevention and treatment

- Implementation of modified leprosy elimination campaign

- Ensuring rehabilitation of cured patients

- Repeal of discriminating provision under marriage act where leprosy is ground for divorce
Organization

● Center level: DGHS and NLEP officer [NLEP commissioner for planning and policy ]

● State level: director of health and services and state NLEP officer

● Regional level: Regional NLEP officer [Leprosy control unit, Survey education and treatment, and Urban
leprosy unit]
Role of health workers

- Identification of persons with hypo pigmented patches or thickened tender nerves

- Help and motivate VHG to detect such cases

- Ensure that cases are clinically examined for diagnosis

- Ensure that the treatment is taken regularly by all cases till cure.

- Motivate defaulter to take treatment regularly

- Educate patients on care of feet, skin, eyes etc

- Educate members of family and community by imparting correct knowledge. Dispel misconception,
misbeliefs. Help to remove stigma

- Examine contacts of diagnosed cases for presence of hypopigmented patch, thick/ tender nerve

- Keep record of suspected cases and cases under treatment

Leprosy Control Units

These are established in endemic areas with one medical officer 2 non-medical
supervisor and 20 para medical worker .Each unit covering a population of 4.5
lakhs. each paramedical workers covers a population of 15 to 20000 and is
expected to examine at least 8000 persons per year.
Evaluation and monitoring
● Proportion of suspected leprosy cases, suspected/ investigated to the total outdoor patients

● Proportion of new cases detected to those suspected

● Number of new cases detected

● Number of skin smears taken and number found positive for lepra bacilli

● Inventory control of items under NLEP especially drug

Disability prevention and medical rehabilitation

1. Dressing materials, supportive medicines and ulcer kits

2. Microcellular rubber footwear is provided for protection of insensitive feet.

3. NGOs in the country and 42 govt. medical colle have been strengthened for providing reconstruc surgery
services.

4. An amount of Rs.5000 provided as incentives to each leprosy affected persons from BPL family undergoing
reconstructive surgery

5. Support is also provided to govt. institute PMR centers in the form of RS.5000 per reconstructive surgery
conducted
CONCLUSION
Leprosy is curable and treatment provided in the early stages averts disability if
Multidrug therapy provided. Control of leprosy has improved significantly as a
result of national and subnational campaigns in most endemic countries.
Integration of basic leprosy services into general health services has made
diagnosis and treatment of the disease more accessible.
References
https://www.nhp.gov.in/national-leprosy-eradication-programme_pg
https://dghs.gov.in/content/1349_3_NationalLeprosyEradicationProgramme.aspx
https://nhm.gov.in/index4.php?lang=1&level=0&linkid=281&lid=348