Medical Post

The National Leprosy Control Programme (NLCP)  has been  in  operation  since  1955,  as  a  centrally  aided programme  to  achieve  control  of  leprosy  through  early detection of cases and DDS (dapsone) monotherapy on an ambulatory basis. The NLCP moved ahead initially at a slow pace,  presumably  for  want  of  clear-cut  policies  or operational  objectives  for  nearly  two  decades.  The programme gained momentum during the Fourth Five Year Plan after it was made a centrally-sponsored programme. In 1980  the  Government  of  India  declared  its  resolve  to "eradicate"  leprosy  by  the year 2000 and constituted  a Working Group to advise accordingly. The Working Group submitted its  report in  1982 and recommended a  revised strategy based on multi-drug chemot...