Leprosy
mailing list – September 18th, 2005
Ccn: all.
Ref.:
1. Decrease in leprosy numbers in India.
2. Active search for leprosy, why not?
From: N Rao, Hyderabad, India.
Dear Salvatore Noto,
It is interesting to read the discussion on the
document on monitoring epidemiologic trends of leprosy and validation
data and I was going through it closely.
At various points in these discussions and in
previous LMLs and other leprosy related information of recent origin, it
is being repeatedly mentioned that 'active search for leprosy
cases should be avoided'. Was the leprosy programme erring
for so long doing it?
Not searching actively for new cases definitely
decreases new case detection rate (NCDR) as it happened in India last
year and brings down the leprosy prevalence.
This is probably is the most
important explanation for the decrease in leprosy numbers in
India. "What is the explanation for this decrease
in India (29 % as compared with 2003), while, in others countries, the
number of new cases detected doesn't decrease since twenty
years?" (Dr Pierre BOBIN, LML 12th September, 2005).
I am interested to know the basis and justification
not to search for new cases from the members/authorities,
especially with reference to status of leprosy in India.
With best regards,
Narasimha Rao
