M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Oct 22: Palamu has recorded a total of 223 confirmed cases of leprosy which is an all-time high. It includes grade 1 and grade 2 leprosy cases too.
There are eight cases of grade 1 leprosy cases while ten of grade 2 and all patients are adults. Although 13 children are confirmed leprosy patients, none of them is in any of the two grades.
Palamu district leprosy officer Dr Anil Kumar Srivastav confirmed this saying, “We have eight grade 1 leprosy cases while 10 grade 2 leprosy cases. The WHO has classified leprosy broadly into three grades. Grade zero is where there is no anaesthesia no visible damage or deformity. Grade 1 is loss of sensitivity in eyes, hands, and feet. Grade 2 is a visible deformity on the eyes, hands and feet. Reconstruction surgery is suggested for grade 2 leprosy. In this, muscles set in and nerves collapse.”
“Apart from grade 1 and grade 2 leprosy cases, we are concerned about the number of multibacillary leprosy cases which is higher than paucibacillary leprosy. There are 111 cases of multibacillary leprosy and 99 paucibacillary leprosy. Even one leprosy-affected child has multibacillary leprosy,” he added.
The National Leprosy Eradication Programme has to be vigorously pursued in Palamu. All community health officers and ANMs are to be first sensitized about this before they are being asked to go to the people asking them to be careful if they find any patch on their body having discolouration of skin or skin losing sensitivity etc.
