NLEP Newsletter Publication of National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) – Meghalaya.

Biannual Newsletter, Vol. I, Issue I, October 2019

From the Mission Director, NHM

Shri. Pravin Bakshi, IAS, Secretary, Health &

Family Welfare Department cum Mission

Director, NHM.

Greetings,

I am delighted to introduce the

first edition of the newsletter of

Leprosy Division of NHM, Meghalaya.

We intend to make it a regular

publication and to keep you in touch

with news and development of the

National Leprosy Eradication

Programme (NLEP) and its

implementation. I am impressed by

the progress made by NLEP division in

the last four years and we still have a

good scope for improvements.

Finally may I thank all of you

who have contributed to the

launching of the e-newsletter of NLEP

division, Meghalaya and I wish each

and every one of you the very best.

From the Joint Mission Director,

NHM, Meghalaya

Dr. L.M Pdah, Director of Health Services

(MCH&FW) cum Jt. Mission Director, NHM

Greetings,

Welcome to the first issue of e-

newsletter of NLEP division, NHM,

Meghalaya. Our goal on producing

the newsletter is to keep imparting

the latest development of NLEP

programme in the state. The NLEP

programme encountered challenges

and stigma in the community.

However, intensive and targeted

efforts through use of innovative

social mobilization helped in building

the awareness and knowledge of

community to bring down the

incidence of Leprosy in the state. I

wish the e-newsletter success in all

future publications.

From the Editor

Dr. (Mrs.) B Decruse, State Leprosy Officer

It is my privilege to state that

the National Leprosy Eradication

Programme (NLEP), Meghalaya has

taken this new initiative of launching

a newsletter. It is indeed our first

step of using newsletters as a

medium for dissemination of

information.

Newsletter is a very useful tool

to provide our reader with

information, guidelines and

innovations of the programme. We

still need to travel a long way to

reach out to the unreached.

I believe this newsletter will be very

useful for the programme. Every

effort will be made to sustain the

momentum and further broaden the

contents by inviting articles and news

updates from the districts, blocks and

facility levels.

I hope readers find this issue

informative and I look forward for

your feedback and suggestions.

NLEP Newsletter Publication of National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) – Meghalaya.

Biannual Newsletter, Vol. I, Issue I, October 2019

Contents

1. Epidemiological situation

from 2010 - 2018

(graphical)

2. Sparsh Leprosy Awareness

Campaign

3. Leprosy Case Detection

Campaign

4. Screening Camps

5. Disability Prevention &

Medical Rehabilitation

Camp

6. Training

7. Success Story

Editorial Board

Advisor – Shri. Pravin Bakshi, IAS, Secretary, H&FW

department cum Mission Director, NHM

Editor in Chief – Dr. L.M Pdah, Director of Health

Services (MCH&FW) cum Jt. Mission Director, NHM

Executive Editor – Dr. B Decruse, State Leprosy

Officer cum Programme Officer, NLEP

Editorial Board –

Dr. B Decruse, State Leprosy Officer

Dr. P Lamare, Zonal Leprosy Officer

Dr. R.R Lanong, Consultant NLEP-NE States cum NE

Coordinator, AIFO.

Dr. A.R Marak, Sr. M&HO i/c Leprosy, Ri Bhoi

Dr. H Uriah, MO i/c Leprosy, West Jaintia hills

Dr. A. Marak, MO i/c Leprosy, East Khasi hills

Dr. B.G Momin, MO i/c Leprosy, West Garo hills

Dr. R Laloo, MO i/c Leprosy, West Khasi hills

Dr. H Barman, District Leprosy Officer, East Garo hills

Dr. Jacob Marak, MO i/c Leprosy, South Garo hills

Dr. R Toi, MO i/c Leprosy, East Jaintia Hills

Dr. R.M Debnath, MO i/c Leprosy, North Garo hills

Dr. L M Marak, MO i/c Leprosy, South West Garo

hills

Dr. A Lyngdoh, MO i/c Leprosy, South West Khasi

hills

Technical Support -

Shri. B Dkhar, Statistical Assistant, O/o DHS (MI)

Smt. C.B Kynta, District Health Education Officer

Shri. K Hynniewta, Data Entry Operator, NLEP.

Epidemiological situation from 2010 - 2018

Sparsh Leprosy Awareness

Campaign

Leprosy is a chronic infectious

disease known to mankind from

ancient times and is still stigmatized

persons affected with it until these

days. The disability caused by leprosy

due to late treatment affects not only

the ability of the person affected but

also affects the entire family

particularly if the person affected is

an earning member of the family or a

child who needs to study and this is

added by stigma and discrimination

to the person affected including the

family members. To reach out to the

community on the issue of high level

of stigma attached to Leprosy and to

increase awareness about the

disease, the Central Leprosy Division

has introduced the nationwide

campaign known as Sparsh Leprosy

Awareness Campaign under NLEP on

30th January 2017 being the Anti

Leprosy Day. The campaign continues

for a forth night and the main

activities undertaken are:-

1. Messages from District Magistrate

on Leprosy

2. Appeal from Headman to the

community to end discrimination

against Persons Affected with

Leprosy

3. Undertaking of a Pledge by all

members present at the community

hall.

4. Question – answer session on

Leprosy conducted by Health

Workers (ANMs/ASHAs/MPWs)

5. Felicitation of Persons Affected by

Leprosy if available in the village

2019 is the year that the nation

commemorates the 150th birth

anniversary of the Father of the

Nation, Mahatma Gandhi i.e. 2nd

October 2019. Mahatma Gandhi has

done tremendous work to fight

against stigma associated with

Leprosy and hence Sparsh leprosy

Awareness Campaign – 2019 w.e.f

30th January 2019 – 13th February

2019 was conducted in a befitting

manner to remember the great work

of the father of the Nation. In

Meghalaya the activities conducted

were as follows:

Sparsh’s Pledge read by Deputy Commissioner,

East Khasi hills, 2019

IEC done during Anti Leprosy fortnight at

Nazareth Hospital, 2019

SLAC 2019 campaign at Nongthymmai, East

Khasi hills.

Stickers for SLAC 2019 done by East Khasi hills

and distributed to Local and private vehicles.

Role play of Mahatma Gandhi contribution to

the fight against Leprosy done at South Garo

hills, 2019

Role play of Mahatma Gandhi contribution to

the fight against Leprosy done at West Garo

hills, 2019

Reading of Pledge and IEC done at Ri Bhoi

district, 2019

SLAC 2019 campaign at West Khasi hills

Reading of Pledge during Anti Leprosy Day

(SLAC 2019) at Shantivan Rehabilitation

Centre, Nongpoh, Ri Bhoi

The activities were conducted

by the Village Health Sanitation

Committee where Medical Officers,

ANMs, MPWs, ASHAs, Anganwadi

Workers and others took active

participation. In Meghalaya, out of

6839 no. of villages, 3930 villages

conducted Sparsh Leprosy Awareness

Campaign this year. The graphical

percentage coverage for the last 3

years is shown below.

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

2017 2018 2019

Coverage of SLAC in Meghalaya

Coverage ofSLAC

Leprosy Case

Detection

Campaign

Leprosy Case Detection

Campaign is one of the 3 pronged

strategy of NLEP for active case

detection. It is unique in its approach

as various committees are formed at

each level, i.e. National, State,

District, Block to plan and implement

the activities. Intensive IEC activities

through various media are conducted

before and during the campaign.

During the campaign the

trained teams comprising of 1 ASHA

and 1 male volunteer visited each

and every household as per micro

plan prepared for local areas and

conduct physical examination of

every person of house visited. The

teams are trained to identify suspects

and refer to Medical Officers for

confirmation. Supervision done

through identified trained field

supervisors.

In Meghalaya, LCDC was

conducted in 2 phases in 2 identified

districts, i.e. East Khasi hills and Ri

Bhoi district based on Grade II

disability (G2D) > 3% and absolute

number of G2D cases more than 2.

The 1st phase was conducted

from 12th – 27th November 2018 and

the 2nd phase was done from 6th –

23rd February 2019.

Launching of the 1st Phase of LCDC by Shri. A.L Hek, Hon’ble Minister of Health & Family

Welfare, Govt. of Meghalaya

Launching of the 2nd Phase of LCDC by Dr. L.M Pdah, Director of Health Services (MCH & FW)

cum Jt. Mission Director, NHM.

Proportion of population examined (%) in LCDC in Meghalaya

79.989

11399

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Phase I Phase II

East Khasi

Ri Bhoi

1

358

Confirmed cases of Leprosy in Phase I - LCDC

in East Khasi hills

Confirmedcases inPhase I -LCDC

Suspectsscreened

1

232

Confirmed cases of Leprosy in Phase II - LCDC in East

Khasi hills

Confirmedcases inPhase II -LCDC

Suspectsscreened

1

602

Confirmed cases of Leprosy in Phase I - LCDC in Ri Bhoi

Confirmedcases inPhase I -LCDC

Suspectsscreened

0

170

Confirmed cases of Leprosy in Phase II - LCDC

in Ri Bhoi

Confirmedcases inPhase I -LCDC

Suspectsscreened

Screening Camp of underprivileged

children at Laitkor in collaboration

with Reach Shillong Ministry

A screening camp cum IEC was

organized by District NLEP and

supported by State NLEP and Reach

Shillong Ministry at Laitkor on 23rd of

July 2019 for the under privileged

children. The school is run by Reach

Shillong Ministries under Sarva

Shiksha Abhiyan. The programme

started at 10 am with an introductory

programme where information was

given about Hansen’s disease in a

very basic way to the children. Later

on a drawing competition was

organised for children class V and

above & for children below class V, a

question answer session was done in

a playful manner and prizes was

distributed to the winners of both

quiz and drawing competition. Also a

screening camp was organised for all

the children. In total 147 children

were screened of which 70 were

males and 77 were females. No

leprosy case was detected. The camp

was attended by Dr. (Mrs) B Decruse

(State Leprosy Officer), Dr (Mrs) P

Lamare (Zonal Leprosy officer), Dr A

Marak (I/c Dist Leprosy officer) EKH,

Mr L Syiemlieh (NMS) and other

support staff. Various screening

camps from time to time are being

organised for under privileged

children in urban Shillong.

Also in the month of 15th July 2019 a

screening camp was organised among

CRPF personal at the 67th battalion

stationed in Polo, Shillong. In total 79

personnel were screened for various

skin ailments. The programme was in

coordination with NLEP and NPCDCS

where apart from skin screening

other parameters like random blood

sugar, blood pressure and free

consultation were given.

Various screening camps from

time to time are being organised for

under privileged children as well as

for the community in urban and rural

areas of EKH.

Skin screening camp for

underprivileged children at

Nongmensong in collaboration with

Reach Shillong Ministry

A skin screening camp was held on

18/4/2019 in Umkdait, Nongmynsong

at 2:00 pm for the under privileged

children supported by Reach Shillong

Ministries. The camp was organised

by NLEP, East Khasi Hills, Shillong

supported by NLEP, Meghalaya State,

AIFO and Reach Shillong Ministries.

The camp was attended by DR R.R

Lanong (consultant AIFO), Dr. (Mrs) B

Decruse (State Leprosy Officer), Mr L

Syiemlieh (NMS) and other support

staff. In total 43 children of various

age group were screened for various

skin ailments and other diseases

including worm infestation. Of the 43

children 23 were males and 20 were

females out of which no leprosy case

was detected.

Disability Prevention & Medical

Rehabilitation Camp at Tura Leprosy

Colony

Under NLEP, the District Health

Society ,West Garo Hills in

Collaboration with AIFO, the DPMR

Camp was held on 17.5.19. at Leprosy

Colony ,Tura. This Camp was

recommended by Dr Manimozhi AIFO

during his visit to Garo Hills. Dr

Manimozhi , Dr R.R. Lanong, Dr

Denisa G. Momin (Ophthalmologist)

Dr Lucybeth Sangma ( Dermatologist

), Dr. Athen (Surgeon), Dr Inbert C.

Marak (ENT Specialist ), Shri Riknang

Sangma (Physiotherapist ), Dr.

Beterin Momin ( Medical & Health

Officer, Leprosy Colony), Smt. Vijaya

Lakshmi & team, Shri Bichitra Hajong

(Urban Leprosy Worker) Shri Biplob

Bhattacharjee (Non-Medical

Supervisor) were present in the

camp.

Eighteen people affected with leprosy

from the colony and others availed

the services of the camp. Dr

Manimozhi gave brief introductory

speech on DPMR , and motivated the

doctors to share their experiences in

their respective field of Leprosy.

necessary materials for the camp

were arranged. Dr. Manimozhi and

Dr. Lanong supervised the activities

of Ulcer care, and made it interesting

and cheerful. Some patients were

found to be hearing impaired ,some

patients were found to be having

Cataract and refractive errors There

was no cases of lepra reaction or

relapse. Post camp followed up of

patients were done and patients

with hearing impaired got hearing

aids from DDRC and one cataract

patient will be operated soon. Thank

you all.

Ulcer care training for leprosy

patients held at Shantivan Nongpoh

on the 20th May 2019

A one-day training on “Ulcer care for

leprosy patients” was held at

Shantivan Nongpoh on the 20th May

2019.The training was organised by

District Leprosy society Ri Bhoi in

collaboration with AIFO India. The

programme started with Dr. (Mrs.)

A.R.Marak Senior Medical and Health

Officer in-charge Leprosy welcoming

the participants especially the

Resource persons.

Dr.Manimozhi Consultant NLEP

started the introduction on Ulcer care

in leprosy patients and why it is

“Special”. He talked about the various

aspects of the ulcer care

management, his experience on

working with patients, what his

patients taught him, the innovation

they introduced in ulcer care. He had

emphasised a lot on the human

approach and how to bring a change

in the patient’s perception.

Dr.R.R.Lanong consultant ILEP

delivered a brief talk on Ulcer care,

the clinical reasoning and the

practical aspects of management. He

also shared his experience and

photographic evidences on how

simple instructions can drastically

change a patient’s perception

towards “self-care”

Dr. Manimozhi examined and then

demonstrated the clinical findings in

a patient with Leprosy. Smt.

Vijaylakhsmi and Shri Bishwanth both

Physiotherapist of AIFO and Shri

Shngainki Pyrbot Physiotherapist LCU

then gave a practical demonstration

on ulcer care in Leprosy

patients.Demonstration was given on

the basic aspects of Soaking-

scrapping-oiling-Dressing(SSOD).Then

it was followed by a Hands-on

approach where the participants

were allowed to demonstrate on

Leprosy Patients.

During the session several questions

were asked, and there was active

participation by all those who

attended the training. A total of

Thirty-nine (39) Participants attended

which included Five Staff Nurses,

Twenty-Four District Leprosy Staff

and Ten Staff of Shantivan Leprosy

Colony.

The training concluded with a Vote of

thanks from Dr. (Mrs.) A.R.Marak.

Medical Officer training on NLEP

2 days training of Medical Officers

and AYUSH Physician of South Garo

hills was conducted by the O/o State

Leprosy Officer and O/o District

Leprosy Office, South Garo hills in

collaboration with AIFO at the

conference hall of Baghmara Civil

hospital w.e.f 7th and 8th August 2019

where 16 Medical Officers and 6

AYUSH Physicians of South Garo hills

attended the training. The resource

persons were:

1. Dr. B Decruse, State Leprosy

Officer

2. Dr. R.R Lanong, NLEP

Consultant

3. Dr. P Lamare, Zonal Leprosy

Officer

4. Dr. Jacob B Marak, Medical

Officer i/c Leprosy, South Garo

hills

Two days training of Medical

Officers and AYUSH Physician of Ri

Bhoi district was conducted by the

O/o State Leprosy Officer and O/o

District Leprosy Office, Ri Bhoi district

in collaboration with AIFO at the

conference hall of Nongpoh Civil

hospital w.e.f 13th to 14th August

2019 where 10 Medical Officers and

12 AYUSH Physicians of Ri Bhoi

district attended the training. The

resource persons were:

1. Dr. B Decruse, State Leprosy

Officer

2. Dr. R.R Lanong, NLEP

Consultant

3. Dr. A Marak, Sr. Medical &

Health Officer i/c Leprosy , Ri

Bhoi district

4. Dr. P Lamare, Zonal Leprosy

Officer

5. Shri. S Pyrbot, Physiotherapist

Success Story I

Bringing back dignity of leprosy patient

from rejection and discrimination by the

family to acceptance after treatment and

management of ulcer

There was a suspected case of

Hansen’s disease with auto

amputation of both lower limbs

under Shella PHC. The case was

informed to Dr. A Marak, DLO, East

Khasi hills. The DLO also informed Dr.

W.D Phira, State Leprosy Consultant

and Dr. R.R Lanong, Consultant NLEP.

The DLO along with the State

Consultant and the team from East

Khasi hills went to the village on 11th

April 2017. On reaching the spot it

was found out that the suspected

person was staying in the outskirt of

the village in a tent made of bamboo

and coconut leaves. On examination

no lesion or patch was found on his

body but there was numbness and

tingling sensation in the lower limbs.

When asked about the history of his

sickness it was found out that 10

years ago he had a small cut while

working in the jungle and as time

passed by the wound became bigger

and bigger. He visited the doctors for

checkup but his condition did not

improved and later his limbs got auto

amputated.

Later he was found out by a

Health Worker during house to house

pulse polio immunization and

referred to Shella PHC. After

thorough examination by Dr. W.D

Phira and Dr. R.R Lanong, he was

advised to start MDT. MB (A) MDT

was started on the 25th April 2017 for

12 months. After proper counseling

to him and the family members, he

was advised to visit Shantivan,

Nongpoh, Ri Bhoi district for ulcer

care. But the family members

informed that they could not afford

to go to Shantivan. Then the DLO

assured that all travelling expenses

will be looked after by the office.

Then they took him to Shantivan by

the ambulance of Shella PHC. Now he

has completed his medications and

the ulcer also has improved. The DLO

lead the team to visit him at his home

after he returned back from

SHANTIVAN and found that he was

accepted back in his house and

staying with his family in the house

not in the tent anymore.

Dr. A Marak,

DLO, East Khasi hills district.

Success Story II: Success Case history

of Mr. Orland

Mr. Orland (name changed) lives in

his own house in a remote village of

Meghalaya. He is in his late seventies

and has a number of children,

grandchildren and great

grandchildren.

He was healthy till about 10 years

back when he started having tingling

and numbness of hands and feet. He

had gone to a number of Doctors and

hospitals where he was diagnosed as

having Diabetes and Hypertension for

which he was given treatment which

gave him some relief but the tingling

and numbness remained and slowly

develop deformity of his hands and

feet followed by ulcer of both the

feet.

He has gone to a District hospital but

there was no further diagnosis except

Hypertension and Diabetes. He then

consulted a quack and was under the

quack’s treatment for some time but

did not get relief. He then consulted a

doctor in a NGO hospital from where

he was referred to NEIGRIHMS and

finally diagnosed as Leprosy over and

above Hypertension and Diabetes.

He was put under MDT w.e.f. the

20th June 2016 and later referred to

the DLO and finally to the nearby PHC

to continue treatment from there

and he continued treatment from

that PHC.

A Team consisting of Consultant

NLEP, SLC, District NMS and staff

from the PHC went to review the case

in his house on the 6th March 2017.

He was found having bilateral claw

hands and bilateral planter ulcer. He

was counseled and motivated and

taught self-care. He was very

cooperative. He was given Self-care

Kit and MCR footwear. The S/N from

the PHC was given charge of the

patient and she promised to pay him

a regular visit (which she did so

regularly though the patient’s house

is more than 10 kms away from the

PHC). He was thankful to the Team

that paid a visit to his house and

taught him self-care. The Team again

reviewed the case on the 28th July

2017. It is glad to see that the healed

ulcers. When asked how the ulcers

healed, he honestly replied that “I did

nothing more and nothing less than

what you had told me to do” utilizing

the self-care kit and MCR footwear

provided. He was again provided with

fresh pack of Self-care Kit and told

him to continue self-care.

Dr. R.R Lanong,

Consultant NLEP-NE States

cum NE Coordinator, AIFO.

Orland Before Self care 06-03-2017

Orland Before Selfcare 06-03-2017

Orland After Self care 28-07-2017

Orland After Self care 28-07-2017

Online version of NLEP Newsletter is

available on

http://nrhmmeghalaya.nic.in/news

Address: Health Complex, Directorate

of Health Services, Laitumkhrah, Red

hill road, Shillong - 793003,

Meghalaya

Disclaimer: The editorial board does

not hold any responsibility for the

materials contained in this

publication, which is based on the

information available from various

sources. Reproduction of material

from the NLEP newsletter, in part or

in whole, is encouraged, as long as

credits and acknowledgement are

given.