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No grade 2 disability among Pune’s new leprosy cases this year
According to officials, Pune district currently has 530 active leprosy patients undergoing treatment
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Amid the ambitious target of ‘zero transmission, zero leprosy’ by 2027, no newly-diagnosed leprosy patient in Pune district has been reported with grade 2 disability this year, indicating that cases are being detected before the disease causes severe physical impairment; public health department officials said on Wednesday.
Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, eyes and other organs. Despite medical advancements, fear, stigma, and misconceptions about the disease persist in society. If diagnosis or treatment is delayed, patients may develop deformities (grade 2 disability/G2D). Grade 2 disability is defined by the WHO (World Health Organisation) as visible impairments or deformities (such as claw hand, foot drop, or severe eye damage) present at the time of a leprosy diagnosis; and suggests late diagnosis.
According to officials, Pune district currently has 530 active leprosy patients undergoing treatment. Between April and August this year, 198 new cases were detected, including six children, 155 multibacillary cases and 72 women. As many as 33 new cases were detected in August alone; said officials. The district’s leprosy prevalence rate stands at 0.49 per 10,000 persons. No newly-diagnosed patient this year has been reported with grade 2 disability; officials said.
The health department in Pune district has launched a special campaign from September 16 to October 31 to detect cases early and prevent transmission. Health workers will conduct door-to-door screening in urban and rural areas, with a special focus on 3,426 family members and close contacts of patients diagnosed with leprosy over the past five years. Areas where cases of children with leprosy, multibacillary cases, or grade 2 disabilities were detected in the past five years, will be given priority during the campaign. Health workers will check for pale or reddish skin patches, reduced sensation, thickened nerves and weakness in the hands and feet; said officials. “Leprosy is completely curable with treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent disability. Citizens should cooperate with health workers and seek examination at a government health facility if they notice suspicious skin patches, loss of sensation or weakness in the hands or feet,” said Dr Jayshree Salunke, assistant director, health services (leprosy), Pune.
Maha extends tenure of 487 temporary health department posts involved in TB and leprosy control programmes
The Maharashtra government has extended the tenure of 487 temporary health department posts involved in tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy control programmes for another six months, providing relief to health facilities in Pune and across the state.
The extension, approved by the public health department, covers 264 posts under the National Tuberculosis Control Programme and 223 posts under the National Leprosy Control Programme. The posts will now continue to be operational from September 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
The extension includes among others, seven posts at the Aundh Chest (TB) Hospital namely blood transfusion officer, biochemist, laboratory technician, X-ray technician, watchman and driver.
Similarly, several posts at the Dr Bandorawalla Government Leprosy Hospital in Kondhwa have also been extended. These include among others those of superintendent, physiotherapist and medical social worker.
‘Medical officer’ posts in leprosy teams, including those in Pimpri-Chinchwad, have also received an extension.
The government orders issued on Tuesday stated that the posts are being continued to ensure uninterrupted TB and leprosy control services to citizens. “The continuation of these posts is necessary to ensure continuity of health services for TB and leprosy control,” the orders read.
