LEPROSY - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
News: Urgently
address gaps in leprosy services disrupted by COVID-19 pandemic: WHO
What's in the news?
● The
World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries, especially those in the South-East Asia Region, to urgently
address gaps in leprosy services disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key takeaways:
● The
global health organization asked the countries to accelerate efforts towards
achieving the goal of zero leprosy
disease, stigma and discrimination - the vision of the WHO Global Leprosy
Strategy 2021-2030.
● Leprosy
is 100% curable when detected early, yet today in addition to COVID-19-related
challenges, stigma and discrimination, both institutionalized and informal,
continue to impede prompt diagnosis and treatment and facilitate the onward
spread.
● In
2021, as many as 1,40,000 new leprosy cases were reported, with 95% of new
cases coming from the 23 global priority countries.
Leprosy:
● Leprosy
is still a dreaded disease with
potential risk of transmission.
● It
is an infectious bacterial disease
which is caused by a bacillus Mycobacterium leprae and also known
as Hansen’s disease.
Status in India:
● According
to the World Health Organization (WHO), leprosy is endemic in several states
and union territories of India, with the annual case detection rate of 4.56 per
10,000 population.
● The
prevalence rate of leprosy is 0.4 per
10,000 population in the country.
Transmission:
● The
disease spreads through the droplets
either from the nose or mouth when the affected person sneezes or coughs.
Incubation and Symptoms:
● The
disease is a curable disease and
treatment at the early stage can prevent any disability.
● It
can cause a progressive and permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and
eyes if it is left untreated.
● The
symptoms include red patches on the
skin, skin lesions, numbness in arms, hands, and legs, ulcers on the soles of feet,
muscle Weakness and excessive weight loss.
● The
incubation period of the disease is 5 years usually.
● Symptoms
of the disease can be seen within 1 year but it could also take 20 years or
even more years to occur.
Treatment:
● Leprosy
is curable with the combination of drugs known as Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT).
● Multi-Drug therapy
is a combination of three drugs.
○ Clofazimine
○ Rifampicin
○ Dapsone
Government Initiatives:
1. NATIONAL LEPROSY ERADICATION PROGRAM:
● National
Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) is a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme under the umbrella of National
Health Mission (NHM).
● India
has achieved the elimination of leprosy
as a public health problem i.e., defined as less than 1 case per 10,000
populations, at the National level.
● The
NLEP aims at eliminating leprosy in each
of the districts by 2030.
● Under
the National Leprosy Eradication Programme action is taken for early case
detection, complete treatment of detected cases, and to contain the onset of
disease in close contacts of the index cases (persons diagnosed with leprosy).
2.
In 2017, SPARSH Leprosy Awareness
Campaign was launched to promote awareness and address the issues of stigma
and discrimination.
International Initiatives:
1. WHO
GLOBAL LEPROSY STRATEGY 2021-2030:
Vision:
● Achieving
the goal of zero leprosy disease, stigma and discrimination.
Features:
● Detecting cases early
before visible disabilities occur, with a special
focus on children as a way to reduce disabilities and reduce transmission.
● Targeting
detection among higher risk groups through campaigns in highly endemic areas or
communities.
● Improving health care
coverage and access for marginalized populations.
● Leprosy
Endemic countries need to include other specific strategic interventions like
○ Screening
all close contacts of persons affected by leprosy.
○ Promoting
a shorter and uniform treatment regimen.
○ Incorporating
specific interventions against stigmatization and discrimination.
2. World Leprosy Day:
● Day: January
30
● Theme: “Act
Now. End Leprosy”
● Conducted by:
WHO
● WHO
reiterates its steadfast support to leprosy affected countries in the
South-East Asia Region and across the world to drive rapid, equitable and
sustained progress towards achieving the target of zero leprosy infection and
disease among others, by 2030.