Early detection drive flags 632 new leprosy cases, including 160 in Pune

According to Dr Bhagyashree Patil Thopte, Assistant Director of Health Services (Leprosy), Pune, entire teams from district health office, Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation participated in the exercise. “This involved teams visiting houses in densely populated slum areas in the city as well as among high-risk populations to check for early symptoms of leprosy,” Dr Thopte said.

She also explained that multibacillary leprosy showed a high density of bacilli on slit-skin smear examination as against paucibacillary cases which shows only a few or no bacilli on slit-skin smear examination. “In fact during the drive we found that there were paucibacillary cases which has a less bacterial load and they were immediately placed on multi drug therapy,” Dr Thopte said, adding that the main aim of the early detection of leprosy is to break the chain of infection by 2027. Among rural areas teams found cases in double digits in tehsils like Maval, Junnar, Daund, Bhor and Purandar.

“Early diagnosis and treatment with multidrug therapy can prevent disabilities and deformities,” Dr Ramchandra Hankare, Pune District Health Officer, said. He added that the aim was to detect patients with leprosy at the earliest to avoid any deformity. A population of over 54 lakh was surveyed to detect the symptoms of leprosy. Early signs include numbness or tingling in hands, feet or limbs, light skin patches , weakness in hands or feet and loss of temperature sensation in affected areas, among others.

Unfortunately, stigma persists around leprosy, according to health officials. “This is mainly due to fear, myths and lack of understanding though the disease is curable,” Dr Pawar add.