Coimbatore: Fewer sufferers, but can't be ignored

Coimbatore: Kovai sees a 30 per cent decline in the leprosy cases this year. There are 0.02 patients per 10, 000 populations in Coimbatore district as per the records from April 2015 till January 2016 maintained by the deputy director of health services.

On this World Leprosy Day on Saturday, Dr. S. Palanisamy, deputy director of medical services leprosy, believes the reason is enhanced awareness. “The incident rates of leprosy cases have gradually come down. Five years ago the leprosy cases were over 150 in per 10, 000 population. We have seen 30 per cent decline.”

The disease is common among both urban and rural population. “The disease is classified on the basis of clinical manifestations and skin smear. Patients showing negative smears on the skin are called paucibacillary leprosy (PB) and those who show positive smears are under the category of multibacillary leprosy (MB),” explains Dr. Palanisamy.

Under the MB leprosy there are 76 patients and 35 are under the PB category. All the 111 patients are at present undergoing treatment of whom seven are children less than 14-years-old. “Out of the 41, 32, 217 estimated population of Coimbatore, 111 leprosy patients in not a big number.” he said.

The treatment is available free of cost at every primary health centres and government hospitals.

What is leprosy?
Leprosy is caused by a slow-growing type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae that affects the skin and slowly the outer nerves of brain and spinal cord too.

Symptoms:
Disfiguring skin sores, lumps and pale-coloured skin.

How it spreads?
Leprosy transmits from the lining of the nose of the affected person with the infection of skin and respiratory tract of another person.

Prevention:
Keep out people with leprosy from public places, childcare, work and schools until the person is cured.

Duration:
Normally takes 3 to 5 years, in some cases the symptoms even takes over two decades to appear that is called incubation period; but in rare cases, if the immunity level of patient is less, it can also develop in six months time.

Complications:
Blindness or glaucoma, disfiguration, swelling, bumps and lumps of the face; kidney failure; weekness in muscle, permanent damage inside of the nose, and the nerves.

Awareness rally on World Leprosy Day

An awareness rally was also organised from the district collectorate office till the deputy director of health services campus to mark the World Leprosy Day. As many as 300 nursing students from different medical colleges took the rally holding placards, posters and banners with slogans written on it about leprosy prevention, early medication, how to identify the disease and not to take the disease lightly.

The rally was followed by a meeting at Nirmala College for Women where students were asked to play an important role in leprosy prevention.