Underutilization of the available services by the needy disabled leprosy patients in Government Leprosy Control Unit Puttoor, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, South India.

This study was undertaken to find out the deformity profile, utilization of disability care services, factors associated with underutilization and the impact of educating leprosy patients with visible disabilities in self-care practices in the area covered by the LCU Chittoor. The disability prevalence rate in the area was 15 per 10,000 population. Training of the staff and teaching leprosy patients in self-care practices has shown a remarkable improvement in skin texture and ulcer situation of disabled leprosy patients.

A comparative study of the cost and effectiveness of a modified system of MDT drug delivery system in a high endemic district (Nalagonda) of South India.

Fall in the case load (from 17,000 to 4,500), has changed the disease profile and introduction of fixed duration Therapy (FDT) has made management of leprosy cases rather easy in Nalgonda, a backward district in Andhra Pradesh. The system of drug delivery which was conceived for managing large case load, however, remains unchanged, thereby resulting not only in considerable wastage of resources but also in hampering other activities like case detection and patient care. This study was undertaken to develop and assess a modified system of drug delivery in terms of the cost and effectiveness, its overall effect on other activities in the programme and its acceptability by the field staff. Four Leprosy Control Units (LCUs) were selected and were randomly assigned either to study (Gudibanda, Suryapet) or control (Nalgonda, Bhuvanagiri) group. In the study group the modified drug delivery system replaced the existing system. The modified system consisted of the para medical worker being made responsible for patients at all the DDPs in his subcentre. The clinics were managed alternately by medical officers and non medical supervisors every month. In the control group each clinic was managed by medical officers every month and it covered two sub centers with each drug delivery point being assisted by a para medical worker. The study revealed that the modified system resulted in a saving of 130 man-days a month, a 30% saving in use of vehicle, a 30% saving in POL and improvement in case detection. There was no change in the clinic attendance and drug consumption compliance in the units where modified system was introduced.

Initial intensive therapy for multibacillary leprosy patients--in retrospect.

We analysed the results of 4845 multibacillary (MB) patients being treated with multidrug treatment (MDT) in the Srikakulam District of Andhra Pradesh, India. Of these, 2309 (47.7%) patients were given an initial 14-day intensive therapy with rifampicin, clofazimine and dapsone, followed by the WHO recommended pulse therapy. The rest of the cases were given only pulse therapy. The improvement in terms of bacteriological clearance and the proportion of cases declared released from treatment (RFT) was found to be significantly higher among patients treated with only pulse therapy. Clinic attendance was found to be better and more regular in patients treated with intensive therapy, and no relapses were seen with either therapy. The implications of these findings on the operational aspects of programme implementation are discussed.

Implementation of tests for monitoring drug compliance of leprosy out-patients under multi-drug therapy.

The field workers of two MDT districts (Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh and Ganjam in Orissa) were trained for implementation of 'Paper Spot Test together with Pill/Capsule count methods' of monitoring the treatment compliance of leprosy out-patients receiving MDT. All the workers recognized the importance of implementing these methods and found them operationally feasible, in field. Of the 672 Paucibacillary and 749 multibacillary cases monitored for drug compliance, 85-88% cases showed regular compliance (more than 75% drug intake) to dapsone. The compliance to Clofazimine among Multibacillary cases was better (94% regular) than dapsone compliance. Both these monitoring methods are advocated to be used on larger scale under our National Leprosy Eradication Programme.