Pune District Launches Joint Campaign to Raise Awareness of Leprosy and Tuberculosis
Pune, 16th November 2023: District Collector Dr Rajesh Deshmukh has announced a patient search campaign in the Pune district from November 20 to December 6 to raise awareness about leprosy and tuberculosis. During a review meeting at the Pune District Collector’s office, he directed the health department to effectively implement the campaign across the district.
Present at the meeting were District Health Officer Dr. Sachin Desai, District Tuberculosis Officer Dr. Sanjay Darade, Medical Officers from Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, and other officials. Dr. Deshmukh emphasized a thorough survey of leprosy and tuberculosis in every household in the district during the campaign.
The campaign will involve ASHA activists, male volunteers, and health workers conducting door-to-door checks for symptoms of tuberculosis and leprosy. The objective is to identify new patients at an early stage, provide health education, and facilitate early diagnosis and treatment to break the transmission chain.
Dr. Deshmukh instructed the health department to plan and execute the campaign efficiently, involving educational institutions, industry sectors, and gram panchayats. He also urged efforts to make Pune district leprosy and tuberculosis-free.
As of November 2023, Pune district has 632 leprosy patients under treatment, with a rate of 0.60 per ten thousand population. From April to November 2023, 318 new leprosy patients have been identified and are receiving treatment. Additionally, 6,132 tuberculosis patients are under treatment from January to November 2023.
A total of 4,118 teams have been appointed for the joint leprosy and active tuberculosis search campaign, aiming to examine 56,13,705 people in urban and rural areas. The campaign’s goal is to make the district leprosy-free by 2027. Dr. Deshmukh urged citizens to cooperate during the house-to-house inspection for leprosy and tuberculosis detection.
