The Indian Hansenian’s Association, Odisha unit has expressed skepticism over the declaration by Union Helath Minister JP Nadda that India will be leprosy free by October 2, 2019.
On the contrary, the association has alleged that the Minister has never taken a view of the interior parts of country, especially of Odisha, where the newly detected cases of leprosy-affected are rising over the years.
Association general secretary Duryadhan Sahoo said the annual prevalence rate of leprosy patients newly detected in Odisha between the years 2006-07 and 2017-18 has been alarming.
He said while the newly detected cases were 5,088 in 2006-07, they were 5,685 in 2007-08, 6,381in 2008-09, 6,481in 2009-10, 6,742 in 2010-11, 6,312 in 2011-12, 8,226 in 2013-14, 10,645 in 2014-15, 8,004 in 2015-16, 10,174 in 2016-17, 10,045 in 2017-18 and 9,576 in 2018-19.
In the year 2006, the Odisha was declared as a leprosy free State.
But from that year the newly detected leprosy cases are rising in an alarming rate in every year. But without any application of mind the Government of Odisha abolished 947 leprosy trained paramedical worker posts in the entire State. As a result of which the infectious disease could not be detected in time on account of which Grade-2 deformity cases are rising in the State and converting the leprosy-affected people permanently-disabled and unproductive, he told.
When India would be declared completely free from leprosy, there would be no Central leprosy division, no State leprosy cell, no leprosy budget, no production and supply of MDT, no specialized leprosy home and hospital, no ulcer care kit, no special lab for skin and smear test and no MCR shoes and no supply at ADL kit. This would further push the growth in the number of newly detected cases, said Sahoo.