Dr A Ghosh’s contribution

Leprosy Mailing List – December 24^th, 2011

Ref.:    Dr A Ghosh’s contribution. 
From: H K Kar, New Delhi, India

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Dear Dr Noto,

This is my first letter after our meet in Brazil for Brazil Congress and ILA regional leprosy congress for Americans.  However, I was keenly going through all your mails.  

I am not agreeing with many aspects mailed by A Ghosh [LML Dec. 17th, 2011].  Introduction of MDT by WHO has a tremendous impact on reduction of case load in the world.  The word elimination no doubt has created a false impression of eradication particularly among the politicians and non-medical administrators.  As leprologists it is our duty to clarify ourselves first and clear the doubts of nonmedical administrators and politicians the difference between eradication and elimination.  

Leprosy is neither  highly infectious nor M. leprae remains alive outside the human being for more than few days as stated by A Ghosh.  No doubt, a few pockets (municipalities, districts) in all endemic countries are having  hidden cases of leprosy which needs to be detected at the earliest by certain active mechanism like conducting SKIN CAMPS periodically after adequate IEC programme for voluntary reporting in the camp for early detections and treatment.  Due to long incubation period as well as persistence some hidden untreated cases, new cases of leprosy continue to surface for some more years.  As rightly targeted by WHO for reduction of deformities by 35 % depends on how early we are detecting our new cases. Increase number of new cases among children in certain parts of the glove is not a healthy sign. We all have to be serious on intra familial and extra-familial contact tracing and if possible regular school survey for early detection of cases within the existing setup of integrated programme.  We must be optimistic and work hard towards for ultimate eradication.

Regards,

Dr (Prof.) H K Kar
Consultant & HOD
Department of Dermatology, STD & Leprosy
P.G.I.M.E.R. and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
Baba Kharag Singh Marg
New Delhi-110001