Indore (Madhya Pradesh): District Leprosy Officer Dr Santosh Sisodia said here on Thursday that 226 new leprosy cases were identified in the district during screening of 17.1 lakh people. Free treatment of the patients was underway, he said. In Indore district, a population of 17.4 lakh was selected for screening.
Of these, 17.1 lakh people were screened through surveys conducted by 1,379 teams, which included ASHA workers and volunteers. During the campaign, leprosy symptoms were suspected in 2,422 individuals, and 226 cases were confirmed. The team surveyed 3.25 lakh houses.
Treatment for the newly diagnosed patients has already commenced to prevent further spread. Dr Sisodia highlighted that since 2017, such special campaigns were being conducted annually. This year, the highest number of new cases was detected. The campaign also included intensive promotional activities to educate the public about leprosy.
The goals of the initiative included 100% population screening, providing treatment for all newly identified cases, preventing Grade-2 disabilities and organizing focused leprosy campaigns in villages with child leprosy cases.
As part of efforts to raise awareness and reduce superstitions and stigma surrounding leprosy, the Madhya Pradesh government, following the guidelines of the Government of India, organized a “Leprosy Case Detection Campaign” under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme. The campaign aimed at preventing severe deformities (Grade-2 disabilities such as numbness or disfigurement of hands and feet) caused by leprosy by conducting door-to-door screenings and ensuring timely treatment of newly identified patients, added Dr Sisodia.
