‘Leprosy cases increasing in Vizianagaram district’

The prevalence rate of leprosy has gone up from 1.48 cases per 10,000 population in 2012-13 to 1.76 in 2013-14, according to an intensified survey conducted by a team under District Leprosy Eradication Programme between June and August. The team has identified 57 new cases in Balijipeta and Komarada mandals and declared them as “high endemic mandals.”

Based on the report, a three-member Central team led by Dr. P.L. Joshi along with two other members Dr. K. Mehmood and Dr. Mani Mouz, who were accompanied by Joint Director (Leprosy) P. Rajendra Prasad toured the two mandals and also Poosapatirega, Vepada, Ramabhadrapuram, and S. Kota mandals for five days from November 12 and interacted with patients, Lepra India, a voluntary organisation and Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation at Chilakapalli in Bobbili mandal. A report of their observations is awaited.

District Leprosy Prevention Officer D. Sudhakar Patnaik told

The Hindu that spurt in number of cases was detected during a sporadic survey conducted in Balijipeta and Komarada mandals in November last year. Following instructions from Ministry of Health, 57 cases were detected during door-to-door survey in the two mandals.

In addition, 32 cases ranked as Grade-III, IV and V were identified during a survey between June and August in Poosapatirega, Ramabhadrapuram, Vepada and S. Kota mandals registering an increase in the prevalence rate of leprosy cases i.e. the number of cases has gone up from 260 to 346, Dr. Patnaik added.

He observed that the increase in the number of cases was due to migrants carrying the bacteria from other districts. He said that survey in other mandals too had been intensified.