Despite efforts, leprosy cases on the rise in Srikakulam of Andhra Pradesh
On an average, not less than 20 new leprosy cases are being reported from across the district every month, a health department source said.
Published: 07th June 2018 03:45 AM | Last Updated: 07th June 2018 03:45 AM | A+A A-
SRIKAKULAM: On an average, not less than 20 new leprosy cases are being reported from across the district every month, a health department source said. Despite the measures being taken to arrest the prevalence of the disease, leprosy cases are on the rise in Srikakulam. As many as 485 new cases have been identified, between March 2017 and March 2018, across the district.
Increased prevalence rate
The rate of prevalence of leprosy in the district has increased to 1.36 per 10,000 of the population. This is said to be above the permissible State as well as national average. One leprosy case per 10,000 of the population, is the permissible average with regard to prevalence of leprosy. For record, the prevalence rate in the State was only 0.56 during FY 2016-’17, but it jumped to 1.36 in the last fiscal.
LCDC survey and aftermath
In November last year, a survey, christened as leprosy cases detection campaign (LCDC), was conducted across the district. Four other districts of the State - Vizianagaram, Nellore, Anantapuram and Kurnool were also included in the survey, said Dr Kameswara Rao, district leprosy control officer. He also said that more than 6000 health workers, including the ASHA, ANM and ICDS workers, had visited each and every household across the district, in the two-week span during the month of November last year. As many as 204 new cases came to light during the survey from across the district.
Number crunching
458 new leprosy cases identified, between March 2017 and March 2018, across the district
The rate of prevalence of leprosy in the district has increased to 1.36 per 10,000 of the population from only 0.56 during FY 2016-’17
This is more than the permissible State and national average which is 1 per 10,000 of the population
New cases in 2018
However, if we took only the current year into consideration, 107 new cases were reported till May, he said. While only 16 new cases were identified from across the district in January, 22 were reported in February
