New Delhi: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said that India is making progress and new leprosy cases are declining year after year. Speaking on the occasion of National Anti Leprosy day in New Delhi through a video message, the Minister said India can achieve the target of Leprosy Mukt Bharat by 2027 with the support of society, three years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goal target.
"The need of the hour is consistent efforts to eliminate leprosy. It is a curable disease, however, if it is not detected and treated at the early stage, it can cause permanent disabilities and deformities among the affected person, leading to discrimination of such persons and their family members in the community," said Mandaviya.
Reiterating Mahatma Gandhi’s enduring concern for people affected with leprosy, India’s efforts to eliminate leprosy from this country under National Leprosy Eradication Programme is a great tribute to his vision. He added that the government is successful in achieving prevalence rate 1 case per 10,000 population at national level in 2005.
Speaking at the event Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar said, it is a matter of great concern that India has nearly 52 per cent of the total cases of Leprosy worldwide.
Dr Bharati said that the prevalence rate of leprosy cases has come down from 0.69 per cent per ten thousand population in 2014-15 to 0.45 in 2021-22. However, the need of the hour is a consistent effort towards completely eliminating this disease, the Minister added.She also said that since 2015, with a constant effort under the National Anti-leprosy, India has managed to prevent many disabilities due to Leprosy.
During the event, Dr Bharati also launched National Strategic Plan and Roadmap for Leprosy 2023-2027. The aim of the Plan is to eradicate Leprosy in the country by 2027. The Minister also launched the National Guidelines for Surveillance for Antimicrobial Resistance in Leprosy.
