Major initiatives under National Leprosy Eradication Programme(NLEP)

Source: The post is based on the article “Major initiatives under National Leprosy Eradication Programme(NLEP)” published in PIB on 5th August 2022.

What is the News?

The Government is implementing the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) with the goal of making India leprosy free. 

What is the National Leprosy Eradication Programme(NLEP)?

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme

Nodal Mission: National Health Mission(NHM)

Aim: To detect the cases of leprosy at an early stage and to provide complete treatment, free of cost in order to prevent the occurrence of disability.

Major Initiatives under the mission

– Leprosy Case Detection Campaign(LCDC) in high endemic districts.

– Leprosy Awareness Campaign on 30th January every year.

– NIKUSTH – A real-time leprosy reporting software implemented across India.

– Strengthening of Disability Prevention and Medical Rehabilitation (DPMR) services.

– Certificates, awards and performance-linked financial incentives are given to the districts for achieving leprosy elimination.

– Contact tracing is done and Post Exposure Prophylaxis(PEP) with a Single dose of Rifampicin (SDR) is given to the eligible contacts of the index case in order to interrupt the chain of transmission.

India’s achievements in Leprosy eradication

India has achieved the elimination of leprosy as a public health problem as per WHO criteria of less than 1 case per 10,000 population at the National level in 2005. However, there are few districts within the States where leprosy is still endemic.