Leprosy Awareness: Early Detection Is Important

Prevention of disability caused by Leprosy.
In India every four minutes a new case is diagnosed with leprosy and almost 9 out of every 100 people diagnosed is a child ! India also recorded the highest number of children newly detected with leprosy -13,610 in 2014-15.
Every day on an average 50  children are diagnosed with leprosy and undiagnosed numbers may be more due to non availability of medical services in areas where prevalence rate is high.

Unfortunately some of these children are diagnosed only after they develop Grade 2 disabilities;  such as damage to hands and feet and serious eyesight impairment.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae which mainly affects the skin, peripheral nerves, upper respiratory tract and the eyes. It is curable and treatment provided in the early stages averts disability. The leprosy causing bacteria multiplies very slowly and the incubation period of the disease is about five years. Symptoms can take as long as 20 years to appear.  Reason for leprosy being not diagnosed very early is that there are no diagnostic tests available. This means leprosy is more difficult to detect at the early stages and delay in diagnosis causes very serious disability in children; such as nerve damage and disfigurement of the face and limbs and further lack of sensation can lead to injury and blindness.

Here’s a worst case reported recently from one of the states in North India where leprosy prevalance rate is high.
Babu, 10 year old, is diagnosed with multiple disabilities; clawed hands and foot drop. It is very rare case for a child of that age to have such deformities. He underwent two reconstructive surgeries and one hand is undergoing physiotherapy. His right foot will soon be operated upon. Once it is stable, he will undergo surgery for his left foot. Then only he will be able to live a normal (?) life, where he will have to pass another survival test against the Social stigma !

I lived with Leprosy and its aftereffects for 30 years. Now I am  born again and living a normal life,  salutes to Ayurveda, Yoga and Traditional Remedies practised by ancient wise men.

I have throughout my life seen hundreds of worst cases of young people suffering from disabilities caused by Leprosy. Based on my experience I could help a small number of children in preventing peripheral damage and deformity by applying Traditional Self Care skills and Ayurvedic Diet in last two years. Eighteen out of Twentytwo children below 15 years have successfully averted disabilities and are back to normal life in a year and a half. If not attended, thier stories would have been similar to Babu’s.

We can save young ones from lifelong disability and dependence only through collective efforts by parents, teachers and voluntary groups. By early detection the chain of transmission and Grade 2 disabilities could be broken successfully and with effective medical treatment and self care education India can achieve total elimination of leprosy.

Article by: Mr Ramdas Pai.
Read his inspiring articles here –
Journey From Leprosy Stricken Beggar To Social Worker – 1
Journey From Leprosy Stricken Beggar To Social Worker – Remedies
Tested Remedies For Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat Problems: Ramdas Pai