Chandigarh, June 23, 2017: The Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, Shri V.P. Singh Badnore today reviewed the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) with the senior officers of the Health Department Chandigarh. The Governor has asked the officers concerned to ensure IEC (Information Education and Communication) activities aimed at generating awareness amongst of the city about this disease and its control.
After going through a presentation made by the UT Health department on the ongoing activities under National Leprosy Eradication Programme in Chandigarh, Shri Badnore directed the officers to carry out extensive awareness campaign especially around the Construction Sites and factories so that people living around these places could be sensitized. He said every possible effort should be made to make people aware about leprosy, its treatment, care and rehabilitation of its patients.
The need of the hour is to intensify our efforts towards early detection of leprosy cases, provide equitable access to appropriate treatment and provide integrated leprosy services in geographically focused areas, said the Governor.
To eliminate leprosy various strategies were discussed which included Survey activities in the Construction Sites, Awareness and sensitization of factory workers and Leprosy Case Detection Campaign to be carried out as per Govt. of India guidelines. The aim of these survey and awareness activities is early detection and treatment of the leprosy patients, so that Disabilities associated with Leprosy and transmission of the disease decrease, hence reducing the stigma of the disease.
It was disclosed by the Health department that in Chandigarh, out of the 128 new cases detected in the year 2016-17, there are only 7 permanent residents of Chandigarh and 47 patients belonged to migratory population settled temporarily in Chandigarh. The rest 74 patients are residing in neighboring and other states, preferred coming to Chandigarh for better treatment facilities provided by premiere institutions like PGIMER and Govt. Medical College, Sector – 32.
Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included Additional Chief Secretary to Governor, Mr. M.P. Singh, Home – cum – Health Secretary Mr. Anurag Aggarwal , Director Health Services, U.T., Chandigarh – Dr. Rakesh Kashyap and State Leprosy Officer – Dr. Simrat Kaur.