(LML) Manifest against the implementation of MDT-U

Leprosy Mailing List –  June 17,  2018

Ref.:  (LML) Manifest against the implementation of MDT-U  

From:  Ajit P, Maharashtra, India

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Respected Sir,

The mail from dr Claudio Salgado (LML, June 12, 2018) was distressing to say the least. I highly appreciate his concerns on MDT-U. Here are few of my suggestions.
Attaching herewith the article by Gelber RH, et al. Lepr Rev. 2012: The chemotherapy of leprosy: an interpretive history. Do Read!

 

MDT-U is nothing short of a disaster. We have to work urgently to avert it. While I fully appreciate the erudite document prepared by dr Claudio. I feel the attached file to his letter is too technical for the layman and too long. Use a strategy given in freakonomics book: risk =hazard + outrage. You have to work on the outrage part. Make full use of social media. Use simple to understand things, like leprosy can recur; if recurrence occurs it is terrible; therapy is cheap.

If patients tolerate six months of treatment well, then there is zero risk of continuing therapy for two years or longer and it is not very costly to governments. Explain that your organization consists of experienced clinicians who have successfully treated not so small number of difficult cases and your opinions count much more than these studies to support u MDT. Emphasize to the political class that WHO guidelines are a bare minimum. We can and must do a lot more. Use images of relapsed cases and upload their sorry tales on the internet to create awareness among people and politicians (who are not doctors). Swing the public opinion with simple logic. Ultimately decision is by politicians, who have to rely on experts.

Ultimately if such regimes like MDT-U get implemented, it is a sad day for people and physicians.

 

Ajit P

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LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder

LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/

Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com