From the States : Gujarat

Modi realises Gandhi's leprosy-free Gujarat
State declared "total leprosy-free'' by WHO
From Our Correspondent

Proud of being the State of birth of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat paid a unique homage to him on his Nirvana Day on January 30 by being declared a “total leprosy-free State” by the World Health Organisation, a mission for which he worked relentlessly till the last.

Gujarat took up the challenge from the year 1985 when the number of leprosy cases in the State was as high as 21.1 per 10,000 population. Through intensive campaign, multi-drug treatment and social awareness which culminated in 300 hours of continuous reconstructive surgery at the Sir Sayaji General Government Hospital in Vadodara, the State has been able to bring it down to 0.67 per 10,000 population.

There could still be a few people who have lost limbs in leprosy and are beyond any reconstructive surgery, yet there is not a single known patient to be still afflicted by leprosy in the State and, therefore, WHO has declared that leprosy is no longer a “public health problem’’ in Gujarat.

The Modi government felt proud when at the National Conference on Leprosy held at Raipur, Chhattisgarh, in January 2004, President, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, advised other States to emulate the example of Gujarat in fight for eradication of leprosy. “In Gujarat,’’ the President had said, “the State Government, medical colleges, hospitals and voluntary organisations were active partners in these efforts. Reconstructive surgery camps and mega-camps had been conducted to treat patients in large numbers and micro-planning had been integrated with disability care.’’

The President’s words were recalled at the concluding ceremony at SSG Hospital at Vadodara on January 30 to mark the end of the 12th and perhaps the last of the intensive reconstructive surgery camps conducted for leprosy patients to ensure their social rehabilitation and to help them engage themselves in some gainful self-employed projects. More than 30 plastic surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons trained in leprosy surgery from different hospitals in Gujarat, Mumbai, Chennai, Coimbatore and other centres and 100 medical teams of nurses and para-medical services provided free services at the camp conducting more than 570 reconstructive surgeries continuously for 13 days beginning January 18.

According to Health Minister Shri Ashok Bhatt, in the 12 intensive reconstructive surgery camps organised since 1999 in different parts of the State, about 5,300 patients were operated upon and their limbs restored to functional level making them a normal member of society. The voluntary organisations, who undertake a door-to-door survey to identify curable leprosy patients, also ensure that after total cure they were accepted back in society and the government provides them training under various self-employment schemes.