CHENNAI: A total of 4,019 new leprosy cases were detected in Tamil Nadu so far during 2018-19.

Among them 294 new cases were detected in Chennai alone, statistics shared with Express by State health department officials showed.

Statistics also show there is a reduction in new cases in Tamil Nadu. In 2016-17, 4,937 new cases were detected, in 2017-18, 4,277 and in 2018-19 4,019 cases were detected.

However, cases in Chennai increased from 264 in 2017-18 to 294 in 2018-19, and again these are less when compared to 2016-17 where a whopping number of 304 new cases were detected, statistics reveal.

According to a health department official, the State detects new cases by conducting skin camps in villages and in slums, industrial areas and also areas of migrant population in an urban setup.

Apartment from these, regular screening is also conducted at all Primary Health Centres, government district headquarters and taluk hospitals and also medical college hospitals.

“The aim of the screening is to prevent deformity by identifying the cases at an early stage,” the official said.

In Chennai, various initiatives are being taken, the official said. 

Speaking to Express, V Dharmalingam, Deputy Director of Health Services (Leprosy), Chennai district, said, “In Chennai new cases are being detected at every Urban Primary Health Centres, and Community Health Centres, apart from medical college hospitals and government hospitals. Staff were trained on leprosy screening. They go to slums and conduct survey. If a single case is detected, the staff will go to the patient’s house and screen all others. Also, door-to-door survey is conducted in those areas,” he added.

He said officials are planning to reunite abandoned people affected by leprosy with their family with police help.

“We will try to trace addresses of abandoned and reunite them with their families,” he said.
Anti-Leprosy Day is observed on January 30 every year by the State health department.