It's a success story, coming after decades of painstaking efforts to increase awareness and end social stigma. The number of leprosy patients has fallen sharply since 1981 and the disease is well on its way out by the end of 2005.To achieve that target, the Health Ministry plans to track down each of the 2.6 lakh patients registered across the country — and ascertain if there are more patients. From 57.6 leprosy patients per 10,000 in 1981, the ratio has come down to 2.4 in March 2004. The good news is that by the end of 2005, the number is likely to go down to just one patient per 10,000 — the WHO target of elimination.Besides, the Annual New Case Detection Rate (ANCDR) is also showing gradual decline over the years. ANCDR has come down to 3.3 per cent from 4.4 per cent last year.As many as 17 states have already reached the elimination level. ‘‘Once the target is reached, leprosy will no longer be a public health problem,’’ a Health Ministry official said.From more than 40 lakh patients in 1981, the number has come to 2.6 lakh patients now. The seven problem states are Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal, together having 75 per cent of the country’s leprosy patients. While the numbers are high in Uttar Pradesh, which comprises 23 per cent of the patients, the prevalence is highest in Chhattisgarh (5.9 patients per 10,000).Even these numbers, some officials say, are exaggerated. Hence the focus on determining the exact number of patients. Officials say surveys have shown that patients are generally registered at several places simultaneously. Leprosy registries are not maintained properly and names are not struck off even after the patient is fully cured.‘‘The patients are mostly labourers and generally move from one place to another and are registered simultaneously at several places. Doctors don’t realise that double registration shows in the national figures as numbers from each of the registries is compiled regularly,’’ an official said. ‘‘We have been witnessing 25 per cent reduction in the cases for the past few years so we don’t see any problem in achieving our targets,’’ the official added.
