5% rise in leprosy cases worries TN health department

Pushpa Narayan | TNN | Updated: Jan 18, 2018, 08:24 IST

CHENNAI: In spite of effective and cheap treatment, prevalence of leprosy in Tamil Nadu has been steadily increasing since 2012, even as the national average recorded a decline. 

With a 5% increase in prevalence per 1,00,000 in five years, TN recorded 4,939 new cases in 2016-17 compared to 3,550 cases in 2012-13, according to the annual National Leprosy Elimination Programme report. The prevalence dropped from 7 per lakh in 2012-13 to 6 per lakh in 2016-17 across India, while rising from 3 per lakh to 4 per lakh in TN. Almost simultaneously, the state recorded an increase in the percentage of cases among children and women, along with the number of those crippled by the disease.

Ahead of World Leprosy Day on January 28, at least one in 20 patients in TN has grade I deformities and one in 25 has grade II deformities. In 2016-17, of the 5,573 people in the country with grade I deformity, 283 were in TN, and of the 5,245 people in India with grade II deformity, 199 were in TN.

The increasing incidence among women, who constitute 42.8% of all leprosy patients, and children (17.64%), has particularly worried public health experts.

Directorate of public health officials say the increase in TN is due to intensive screening. "We were seeing a drastic decline until a few years now but we have increased screening. All children are screened across schools and ICDS centres," said director of public health Dr K Kolandaswamy.

But activists say the increase in incidence began after leprosy prevention programme was integrated with general healthcare schemes too early. Leprosy inspectors were re-designated health inspectors and nonmedical supervisors became block health officials.

"The health officers are too busy as they have to deal with many programmes. No one goes into the field to do a check among adults," said senior officer who did not want to be named.