The National Leprosy Eradication Programme is a centrally sponsored Health Scheme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India.

1. National Leprosy
Eradication Programme

2. Milestones in NLEP
1955 - Govt. of India launched National Leprosy Control Programme.
1970s - It was only in 1970s that a definite cure was identified in the form of Multi Drug
Therapy. However the National programme remained with Dapsone treatment.
1981 - Govt. of India established a high power committee under chairmanship of Dr. M.S.
Swaminathan in 1981 for dealing with the problem of leprosy.
1982 - The MDT came into use from 1982, following the recommendation by the WHO
Study Group, Geneva in October 1981.
1983 - Based on its recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee, the National
Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) was launched in 1983 with the objective to arrest
the disease activity in all the known cases of leprosy.

3. Milestones in NLEP (Continue)
1991 - At this stage in view of substantial progress achieved with MDT, in 1991 the World
Health Assembly resolved to eliminate leprosy at a global level by the year 2000.
1993-2000- The 1st phase of the World Bank supported National Leprosy elimination
Project was implemented successfully.
1998-2004- The National Leprosy Eradication Programme introduced the modified Leprosy
Elimination Campaign activities in the year 1997-98. Five such campaigns were conducted
up to the year 2004.
2001-2004- The 2nd phase of the World Bank supported National Leprosy elimination
Project was started from 2001 and completed in December 2004.
2005 - India achieved elimination of Leprosy as a Public Health Program at National Level.

4. Background

7. •Govt. of India started National Leprosy Control Programme in 1955.
•It was based on Dapsone domiciliary treatment through vertical
units implementing survey education and treatment activities.
• In 1970s a definite cure was identified in the form of Multi Drug
Therapy.
• The MDT came into wide use from 1982.
• NLEP was launched in 1983 with the objective to arrest the disease
activity in all the known cases of leprosy.

8. The 1st Phase of the World Bank supported National Leprosy Elimination
Project started from 1993-94 and completed on 31.3.2000.
This Project involved a cost of Rs. 550 crores of which World Bank loan was
Rs. 292 crores.
During this phase, the prevalence rate reduced from 24/10,000 population in
1992 before starting 1st Phase project to 3.7/10,000 by March 2001.
The 2nd Phase of World Bank Project on NLEP started for a period of 3 years
from 2001-02.
The project involve a cost of Rs. 249.8 crore including World Bank loan of Rs.
166.35 Crore and WHO to provide MDT drugs free of cost worth Rs. 48.00
crore.
The project successfully ended on 31st Dec. 2004.

9. Strategy - Leprosy Elimination in India
Decentralized integrated leprosy services through General Health
Care system.
Early detection & complete treatment of new leprosy cases.
Carrying out house hold contact survey in detection of
Multibacillary (MB) & child cases.
Early diagnosis & prompt MDT, through routine and special efforts

10. Strategy - Leprosy Elimination in India
(Continue)
Involvement of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the detection &
complete treatment of Leprosy cases for leprosy work
Strengthening of Disability Prevention & Medical Rehabilitation (DPMR)
services.
Information, Education & Communication (IEC) activities in the community
to improve self reporting to Primary Health Centre (PHC) and reduction of
stigma.
Intensive monitoring and supervision at Primary Health Centre/Community
Health Centre.

11. Institutions
Four premier Leprosy Institutes are working under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of
Health & F.W., Government of India are involved in research (basic and applied ) in Leprosy and Training of
different categories of staff involved for Leprosy elimination.
A. CENTRAL LEPROSY TEACHNING & RESEARCH INSTITUTE (CLTRI) CHENGALPATTU (TAMILNADU)
B. REGIONAL LEPROSY TRAINING & RESEARCH INSTITUE (RLTRI) RAIPUR (CHHATTISGARGH)
C. REGIONAL LEPROSY TRANING & RESEARCH INSTITUTE(RLTRI) ASKA (ORISSA)
D. REGIONAL LEPROSY TRAINING & RESEARCH INSTITUTE RLTRI, GOURIPUR, BANKURA (WEST BENGAL)

13. DISABILITY PREVENTION
& MEDICAL
REHABILITATION

16. Objectives
a. Elimination of leprosy i.e. prevalence of less than 1 case per
10,000 population in all districts of the country.
b. Strengthen Disability Prevention & Medical Rehabilitation of
persons affected by leprosy.
c. Reduction in the level of stigma associated with leprosy

17. Targets

18. PROGRAMME STRATEGY
•Integrated leprosy services through General Health Care system.
•Early detection & complete treatment of new leprosy cases.
•Carrying out house hold contact survey for early detection of cases.
•Involvement of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) in the detection & completion of
treatment of Leprosy cases on time.
•Strengthening of Disability Prevention & Medical Rehabilitation (DPMR) services.
•Information, Education & Communication (IEC) activities in the community to improve self-
reporting to Primary Health Centre (PHC) and reduction of stigma.
•Intensive monitoring and supervision at block Primary Health Centre/Community Health
Centre.

19. Case Detection and Management
(i) To improve access to services.
(ii) To involve women including leprosy affected persons in case detection.
(iii) To organize skin camps for detecting leprosy patients while providing services for
other skin conditions.
(iv)To undertake contact survey to identify the source in the neighbourhood of each child
or M.B. case.
(v) To increase awareness through the ANM, AWW, ASHA and other Health Workers
visiting the villages & people affected by leprosy, to suspect and motivate leprosy
affected persons for early reporting to the Medical Officer.

20. Services in urban areas
(i) Identify human resources available with Govt., Civil societies, NGOs and Private Medical
Practitioners for leprosy services like suspect and referral. Population groups may be
allocated to each human resource, and for follow up of the cases.
(ii) Build capacity of the identified human resources at the time of induction and
periodically.
(iii) Examination of all household contacts of all new cases at least once before the
completion of treatment of index case.
(iv) Identify one referral centre in each urban location for diagnosis and to manage leprosy
with or without complications.
(v) Supervision and monitoring of the programme is the responsibility of the District
Leprosy Officer, and Medical Officer of the referral centre.

21. Services in urban areas ( Continue)
(vi) Mobile Health Clinics of General Health services include leprosy services on
their visit to slums, peri urban villages and migrant agglomerations.
(vii) Develop a system of record keeping and reporting by each participating
Centre.
(viii) Develop a system of regular MDT supply to each Health Centre.
(ix) Procure additional requirement of drugs, dressing material, aids and
appliances for inhabitants of leprosy colony requiring regular care for their
disabilities.
(x) Organise sensitization meetings for IEC and advocacy, participate in
exhibitions, quiz competition for awareness to reduce stigma.

22. ASHA Involvement

23. The ASHA will be entitled to receive
incentive as below
(i) At confirmation of diagnosis – Rs. 250/-
(ii)On completion of full course of treatment in time – PB - additional
Rs.400/
MB - additional Rs.600/-

24. Activities to be performed by ASHAs
(i) Search for suspected cases of leprosy i.e. before any sign of disability appears. Such
early detection will help in prevention of disability and also cut down transmission
potential.
(ii)Follow up all cases for completion of treatment in scheduled time. During follow up
visit also look for symptoms of any reaction due to leprosy and refer them to the Health
Workers/PHC for treatment. This will again reduce chances of disability occurring in cases
under treatment.
(iii) Advise and motivate self-care practices by disabled cases for proper care of their
hands and feet during the follow up period. This will improve quality of life of the affected
persons and prevent deterioration of disabilities.
(iv) Spreading awareness.

25. Information, Education and
Communication (IEC/BCC)
To develop communication material vis-à-vis the target audiences and deliver
effectively.
To complement and support the detection and treatment services being
provided free of cost through the General Health Care System.
To remove stigma associated with leprosy and prevent discrimination against
leprosy affected persons.
To specifically cover beneficiaries, health providers, influencers and the masses.