The Government of India has approved a new treatment regimen for leprosy, aiming to stop its transmission at the sub-national level by 2027.
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to introduce a three-drug regimen for Pauci-Bacillary (PB) cases in place of a two-drug regimen for six months.
- The WHO’s recommended treatment regimen consists of three drugs — dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine. The combination is referred to as MDT.
- The duration of treatment is six months for PB and 12 months for MB cases. MDT kills the pathogen and cures the patient.
- The WHO has been providing MDT free of cost.
About leprosy
- Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease (NTD).
- According to the WHO, leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria.
- The bacteria are transmitted via droplets from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with untreated cases.
- The disease predominantly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Left untreated, it may cause progressive and permanent disabilities.
- Leprosy cases are classified into two types for treatment purposes: Paucibacillary (PB) case and Multibacillary (MB) case.
- Pauci-Bacillary (PB) patients have fewer bacteria visible and show no signs of advanced disease in biopsies, while MB patients have visible bacteria and may show signs of more advanced disease in biopsies.
- The disease still occurs in more than 120 countries. Leprosy, reported from all the six WHO regions, is curable with multi-drug therapy (MDT).
- The majority of new cases detected annually are from South East Asia.
