Maharashtra Reports 7 Percent Increase In Incidents Of Leprosy In Children In 2023

A recent report has sparked major concerns for the state health department as it has revealed that Maharashtra has recorded around a 7 percent rise in the number of leprosy cases among children below 18 years of age. As per the latest report, out of 17,048 new leprosy incidents reported between April and December 2023, 1,160 incidents of leprosy accounting for a seven percent increase have been found among children. Health officials have said that the reported increase in leprosy cases is the outcome of good detection and coverage carried out by paramedical professionals, including measures taken by the health department to eliminate leprosy.

A health official from the state health department has said that the diagnosis of leprosy cases among children is a complex indicator showing that children can be infected with the dreaded disease due to close contact with leprosy patients, hence, there is a requirement for vital intervention and measures to prevent the rise in such cases. Furthermore, the risk of being defamed, terrorized, and rejected for a lifetime as well shoots up the risk of adverse impacts on mental health. Leprosy is a non-lethal disease and it does not transmit rapidly, timely diagnosis and therapies can efficiently treat it. Health experts have said that the incubation window for leprosy-triggering bacteria, known as Mycobacterium leprae, goes from six months to two years.

Health experts from the state’s health department say that kids living with leprosy-infected patients at home are at a higher risk of being infected with Mycobacterium leprae due to their feeble immunity. The World Health Organization (WHO) as well has indicated that leprosy still acts as an endemic in many Indian states despite the reduction in the number of cases among children from 2010-2011. Health experts say that the rise in leprosy cases among children shows that there is a community transmission occurring. There is an urgent need for immediate surveillance across areas where cases among children have been identified to recognize index cases and hotspots. Index cases need to be outlined and treated efficiently to disrupt the sequence of transmission.