Leprosy detection campaign begins-OxBig News Network

Local administration authorities in the district launched the 14-day Leprosy Case Detection Campaign (LCDC) 2025 on Thursday as part of the Statewide initiative to eliminate the infectious disease.

A total of 18,192 searchers in 133 rural blocks and 4,332 searchers in 27 urban areas of Tamil Nadu will take up intensive house-to-house screening from February 13 to 28 as part of LCDC 2025.

In Tiruchi, the Deputy Director of Medical Services (DDMS) Leprosy began conducting tests on residents of Uppiliyapuram, Lalgudi, and Manachanallur blocks on February 13.

Approximately 100 cases had been detected in Tiruchi district in the past year.

Besides this, 400 patients are enrolled under the care of the DDMS Leprosy office in Tiruchi.

“In the LCDC, health workers and volunteers will cover at least 40 homes per day. Due to better awareness, patients voluntarily approach us for treatment at an earlier stage than before. A multi-drug therapy (MDT) regimen of Dapsone, Rifampicin and Clofazimine, is prescribed to our patients. We are working to reduce the number of cases to zero by the year 2027,” A. Shanthi, Deputy Director of Health Services (Leprosy) told The Hindu.

Nagapattinam District Collector P. Akash inaugurated the campaign in Thirupoondi and Vadugachery on Thursday. The Collector urged the public to cooperate with the LCDC workers in order to remove the social stigma associated with the disease and promote better outcomes from early treatment.

Leprosy is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and is of two types: pauci-bacillary and multi-bacillary. If treatment is begun early, the patient can be cured completely.