Srinagar, Jul 14: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has declared leprosy a notifiable disease across the Union Territory with immediate effect, making it mandatory for all government and private healthcare institutions to report every confirmed case to the designated health authorities.
The decision, taken with the approval of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, has been notified by the Health and Medical Education Department under Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. The measure is aimed at enhancing disease surveillance, facilitating early diagnosis and treatment, and curbing the spread of the disease.
According to the notification, all government and private hospitals, medical colleges, private practitioners, healthcare establishments and non-governmental organisations diagnosing leprosy cases shall report every confirmed case to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the concerned district. Copies of the report are also required to be submitted to the respective District Leprosy Officer and the State Leprosy Officer in the prescribed format under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP).
The government said the notification has been issued in compliance with directions from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and recommendations of the Mission Director, National Health Mission, Jammu and Kashmir, to strengthen case reporting and monitoring under the national leprosy control programme.
Leprosy, a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, the mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. While the disease is completely curable with timely diagnosis and multidrug therapy, delayed detection and treatment can lead to irreversible disabilities and deformities.
The Health and Medical Education Department said mandatory reporting of cases will help improve surveillance, ensure prompt treatment of patients and support the government’s efforts towards achieving the goal of leprosy elimination.
