Leprosy control in Zimbabwe : from a vertical to a horizontal programme

ABSTRACT

In Zimbabwe leprosy control services were re-established in 1983; following the war of independence. Its main objectives were the nation-wide implementation of multiple drug treatment (MDT) and the intergration of leprosy control into the general health services. The MDT regimens have led to a rapid reduction of the prevalence of leprosy. At the beginning of 1989 357 patients were on a treatment and 1299 under follow-up. Six hundred and twenty-seven new cases have been detected since 1984; which represents an annual case detection rate of 1.6 per 100;000. This seems a fair reflection of the incidence rate; as the new cases are characterized by a minority of patients under the age of 15 (4) and a lepromatous percentage of 50. [abstract terminated]