Maharashtra makes leprosy 'notifiable disease'

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The Maharashtra government on Saturday announced that leprosy would be treated as a 'notifiable disease,' making it mandatory to report every diagnosed case to health officials.

Every new leprosy case must be reported within two weeks to the district health office, Assistant Director of Health Services, leprosy and local public health officials, as per a government release.

Leprosy is caused by microbacterium lepri, and is contagious.

Delay in treatment leads to disability, so diagnosis and treatment are important aspects of controlling the disease, the release said, adding that the government has set a target of eradicating leprosy from Maharashtra by 2027.

For effective leprosy control, all doctors, pathologists, microbiologists, health workers, and regional officers, both from public and private sectors, must ensure proper treatment and follow-up of all diagnosed patients, and provide post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to persons who have been in contact with them, it said.

The state has reported 7,863 new leprosy patients as of September this year, while 13,010 patients are undergoing treatment.