The Health department is launching a new initiative, Balamitra, for early detection of leprosy in anganawadi children as part of the State’s march towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of leprosy eradication by 2025.
Through active case finding in the community, the Health department had detected and treated 311 new cases of leprosy among adults. In the last five years, the number of leprosy cases among children were 49, 60, 52, 9 and 17 respectively. In order to achieve the SDG target of leprosy eradication, the leprosy incidence among children will have to be brought down from the current 1.2 per million population to less than 0.6 per million population. Alongside, the number of children who end with disability following leprosy should be zero.
It is to fulfil this target that this drive has been planned.
Last year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leprosy screening activities had suffered. Disability due to leprosy can be avoided if leprosy in children can be picked up and treated early.
Anganwadi workers are now being trained by district leprosy officers on leprosy detection. Health workers will visit the homes of children identified by anganwadi workers to confirm the diagnosis and for follow-up treatment and care. All family members would also be screened for the disease.
The Women and Children Development department, Education, Local Self-Government, Social Justice, and IT departments are working in coordination with the Health department in this initiative.
Health Minister Veena George was expected to inaugurate Balamitra on Friday at Pathanamthitta.
