PANAJI:
Leprosy may no longer be a public health threat as it once used to be yet the debilitating and physically deforming malady which is contracted via a bacterial infection stubbornly persists in Goa with new cases being reported year after year.
Between April and December last year, 51 people including one child had tested positive for the disease, according to official data of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), indicating that the State still has miles to go before it can count itself among States which have eradicated it, a benchmark the Nation has set a three-year deadline to achieve by 2027-end.
As of date, as many as 91 leprosy patients are undergoing treatment, DHS said.
Meanwhile on Thursday, which was observed as 'Leprosy Day' globally, DHS issued instructions to its hierarchy to launch the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign over the next fortnight to address the societal stigma associated with the disease.
All primary and community health centres have been directed to collaborate with other departments as well as panchayats to hold special gram sabhas until February 13 to create awareness and deal with the societal stigma and discrimination faced by people stricken with the disease.
The 'Sparsh' campaign will also involve health centres engaging with other departments like Urban Development, Rural Development Agency, social justice & empowerment among others, to hold IEC (information, education and communication) activities.
While new cases persist, Goa however has long been a low-endemic State and has cases to 10,000 population ratio of fewer than one.
