Leprosy
mailing list – September 22nd, 2005
Ccn: all.
From: C R Revankar, New Jersey,
USA.
Dear Dr Ganapati,
I appreciate to your concern
over the bleak future to those leprosy patients who are at higher risk
of developing nerve damage and its sequelae; in the following
paragraph I copied from your message (lml Sept.14, 2005).
"With the integration of leprosy into general health
services and the serious erosion of clinical services resulting from
the loss of expertise, the future of leprosy patients who are prone to
nerve damage and its sequelae is indeed very bleak".
The fear about low quality care
and declining clinical care to leprosy patients especially to
those with disabilities or at risk of developing nerve damage and its
sequelae is being expressed more and more in view of the integrated
approach in India.
Do we have definite evidence to show as
a result of integrated approach, quality of care to patients declined
/ more number of patients developed nerve damage and developed its
sequelae / worsened as compared to vertical era?
If yes, how do we (as
leprologists of vertical era) prevent catastrophes which are
likely to happen during integrated phase?
What may be needed is to
encourage general health care personnel through simplified uniform
guidelines (without confusing them), training and un-interrupted
supply of materials required to offer limb care/hand care/prevent
nerve damage.
Regards,
C R Revankar
email: revankarcr@gmail.com
