The Hindu : New Delhi News : Leprosy education for doctors

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Friday, Jun 13, 2008
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Leprosy education for doctors

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

Will be taught how to educate leprosy patients about preventing disabilities, leprosy-related injuries
“Health department trying to educate general public about the fact that leprosy is a completely curable”

NEW DELHI: After having engaged the common man in a major initiative against leprosy and the stigma attached to the dreaded disease, the Delhi Health Ministry’s leprosy unit will now be engaging city doctors, educating and encouraging them “to go beyond routine leprosy treatment”.

Under the new scheme of things that will be rolled out soon, doctors would be taught “how to educate leprosy patients about preventing disabilities and leprosy-related injuries”.

“Disability is one of the major hazards that leprosy patients have to deal with and most of the time doctors treating them are not able to give enough information on how to prevent disabilities and the injuries to look out for,” said State Leprosy Officer K. S. Baghotia. He said leprosy-related disability also comes in the way of rehabilitation of patients after they are treated and cured of the ailment. “Disability and disfiguration of limbs are among the major reasons that cured leprosy patients get discriminated against when trying to get back to the mainstream. This latest move to educate doctors who in turn will tell leprosy patients about how to prevent and take care of injuries will hopefully go a long way in helping cured leprosy patients to reintegrate with the general public,” added Dr. Baghotia.

The Delhi Health Ministry had previously promised a cash incentive to those helping leprosy patients procure and comply with their drug treatment schedule. Under the scheme, the State Health Department is awarding volunteers from the public a sum of Rs.300 (for those taking care of one leprosy patient under six-month treatment) and Rs.500 (for those taking care of one leprosy patient under one-year treatment).

The programme is aimed at ensuring that through public participation the stigma attached to leprosy is banished and also that leprosy patients get monitored supply of medicines and complete their treatment too.

At present, the Capital has a total of 3,036 registered leprosy cases, of whom 1,328 are from Delhi and 1,695 from outside and 13 patients are from outside the country (Bangladesh and Nepal). According to data provided by the Health Department, 58 per cent of the leprosy cases registered in the city are from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

“The department is also trying to educate the general public about the fact that leprosy is a completely curable disease. Treatment is available for six and 12 months’ period. Drugs are highly effective against this disease,” said a senior health official.

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