Lok Sabha Question No. 4706 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-28
Subject: Target for Elimination of Leprosy
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Karti P Chidambaram, Shri Anto Antony

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4706 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 TH MARCH, 2025

## TARGET FOR ELIMINATON OFLEPROSY

## 4706. SHRI KARTI P CHIDAMBARAM: SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government plans to meet its target of eliminating leprosy by 2027 including funding allocations and programme implementation in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the number of cases detected annually under Leprosy Case Detection Campaign (LCDC) since its introduction; and
- (c) the details of disaggregated data on leprosy prevalence rates in urban versus rural areas and among Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other marginalized communities along with the breakdowns of treatment and rehabilitation efforts?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

- (a) The National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) is a centrally sponsored scheme under the overarching umbrella of National Health Mission (NHM). Funds are allocated to the programme activities under NHM on the basis of State/UT specific Programme Implementation Plans and States/UTs are required to utilize funds as per their need, priority and on the basis of their absorption capacity. India achieved Elimination status for leprosy at National level i.e. Prevalence Rate(PR) less than 1 per 10,000 population in 2005. Further Government of India also launched the National Strategic Plan (NSP) & Roadmap for Leprosy (2023-2027) on 30th January, 2023 to achieve zero transmission of leprosy by 2027 i.e. three years before the Sustainable Development Goal which is by 2030. The major initiatives taken under NLEP are given at Annexure-I.
- (b) The number of cases detected annually under Leprosy Case Detection Campaign (LCDC) since its introduction are given at Annexure- II.

(c) The details of leprosy prevalence rates in total area vs urban locality and leprosy cases among Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes along with MB (Multibacillary leprosy)/PB(Paucibacillary leprosy) treatment breakdown is given at Annexure -III & Annexure -IV. Under the NLEP , treatment/ diagnostic services are provided free of cost to all the patients, there is also a provision of providing welfare allowance@ Rs 12,000/to patients undergoing Reconstructive Surgeries (RCS). These are some of the efforts towards treatment and welfare of leprosy patients..

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Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4706 for reply on 28.03.2025.

## Major initiatives under NLEP

-  National Strategic Plan (NSP) and Roadmap 2023-2027 & National Guidelines for AntiMicrobial Resistance for leprosy have been released on 30th January 2023.
-  Leprosy Case Detection Campaign (LCDC), Active Case Detection and Regular Surveillance, both in rural and urban areas, through ASHAs and Frontline Workers in order to ensure detection of leprosy cases on regular basis and at an early stage in order to prevent Grade II Disabilities.
-  Leprosy screening has been integrated with Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) and Rashtriya Kishore Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) for screening of children (0-18 years).
-  Leprosy screening has been integrated with the activities of comprehensive primary health care under Ayushman Bharat Yojana for screening of people above 30 years of age.
-  Contact tracing is done and Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is administered to the eligible contacts of index case in order to interrupt the chain of transmission.
-  Various services are being provided under the programme for Disability Prevention and Medical Rehabilitation (DPMR) i.e., reaction management, provision of Microcellular Rubber (MCR) footwear, Aids & Appliances, self-care kits etc.
-  Reconstructive Surgeries (RCS) are conducted at District Hospitals/Medical Colleges/ Central Leprosy Institutes, and welfare allowance @ Rs 12,000/is paid to each patient undergoing RCS.

## Total Cases detected during LCDC since its introduction in 2016

| Total Cases detected during LCDC since its introduction in 2016   | Total Cases detected during LCDC since its introduction in 2016   | Total Cases detected during LCDC since its introduction in 2016   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                              | Total no. of States covered                                       | Total new Cases detected                                          |
| LCDC-2016                                                         | 20                                                                | 34,672                                                            |
| LCDC-2017                                                         | 23                                                                | 32,714                                                            |
| LCDC-2018                                                         | 19                                                                | 23,356                                                            |
| LCDC-2019                                                         | 23                                                                | 23,077                                                            |
| LCDC-2020                                                         | 1                                                                 | 908                                                               |
| LCDC-2022                                                         | 17                                                                | 18,067                                                            |
| LCDC-2023                                                         | 17                                                                | 31,088                                                            |

Source: Central Leprosy Division, Dte.GHS, MoHFW.

Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4706 for reply on 28.03.2025.

## Details on Leprosy prevalence rate in total area vs urban locality under NLEP in F.Y. 2023-24.

| Prevalence Rate/10,000 population   | Prevalence Rate/10,000 population   |
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| India                               | Urban population                    |
| 0.60                                | 0.67                                |

Source: Central Leprosy Division, Dte.GHS, MoHFW.

Annexure IV Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4706 for reply on 28.03.2025.

## Details on Leprosy Cases among Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes along with MB/PB Treatment breakdown in F.Y. 2023-24

|   SC cases among new cases |   ST cases among new cases |   PB cases among new cases |   cases among new cases |
|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------|
|                      13941 |                      20259 |                      42188 |                   65663 |

Source: Central Leprosy Division, Dte.GHS, MoHFW.