news and media: news
January 2007
World Leprosy Day Warning—Reports that the disease is on its way out might be misleading!
(Greenville, SC—January 30, 2007). American Leprosy Missions Leprosy Consultant Dr. Paul Saunderson is concerned about recent reports by the World Health Organization (WHO) and India which declare that leprosy is no longer a public health problem.
As leprosy organizations around the world celebrated World Leprosy Day on January 28, some experts, including Saunderson, stress that we must remain vigilant in our efforts to find and treat leprosy. Saunderson is fearful that under-reporting leprosy cases will prevent many from receiving the life-saving medicine they need.
In 2005, India reported the largest decline in leprosy cases reporting 161, 457 cases down from 473, 658 cases in 2002, prompting some in the medical community to question the country’s claims.
Renowned leprosy expert Diana Lockwood of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine points out that such a sharp decline in the number of cases is biologically impossible.
Saunderson agrees. He explains that the sharp drop in the number of leprosy cases has only been seen in India, not in other leprosy endemic countries.
However those in the medical community caution against accusing India of under-reporting cases, choosing instead to take a more proactive approach.
“It is probably counter-productive to start accusing India of deliberately under-reporting cases. What we are saying is that there are ‘operational factors’ which need to be examined to make sure cases are not being missed,” Saunderson explains.
Under-reporting the number of leprosy cases can have serious consequences. The WHO provides drugs according to the number of cases a country registers. If countries misrepresent the number of leprosy cases, there could be a significant under-supply of Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) drugs used to cure the disease. Some cases may be diagnosed but not registered and are not included in the country’s statistics.
If caught in time, leprosy is curable. But there is only a short window of opportunity to prevent permanent nerve damage. Leprosy attacks the nerves located near the cooler parts of the body—the extremities such as the hands, feet, and face are the most vulnerable. If left untreated, leprosy can cause fingers and toes to claw inward, permanent blindness, and ulcers and infections leaving its sufferers disabled.
This is why World Leprosy Day is so important. Since 1954, the last Sunday in January has been set aside to spread the message that leprosy still exists. World Leprosy Day focuses on the needs of the very poorest of all people—those with leprosy. Not only does the day raise awareness about this often neglected disease, it also provides hope for the hundreds of thousands who suffer from it.
With more than 100 projects in 13 countries, American Leprosy Missions is the oldest and largest non-profit in the United States dedicated to curing leprosy. For over 100 years, ALM has provided hope and healing, cure and care to those with leprosy. On average, the cost to cure someone with leprosy is $300. This cost covers education, distribution of medicine, surgery, rehabilitation, and vocational training.
For more information about the disabling effects of leprosy and efforts to address these issues, contact psaunderson@leprosy.org.
