The dark story is that the city continues to grapple with leprosy, an age-old disease that has been eradicated in most parts of the world.
With campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections hitting its final leg in Mumbai, political parties have been making promises galore to “make Mumbai a global city.” But the dark story is that the city continues to grapple with leprosy, an age-old disease that has been eradicated in most parts of the world.
Leprosy has, in fact, made a comeback of sorts in urban Mumbai with figures from the state’s Directorate of Health Services suggesting that the last 13 months have seen a rise in number of new leprosy cases.
From February 2008 to March 2009, over 1,145 cases were detected as against 1,070 in the corresponding period of ’07-’08. Of the new cases, 164 were children (14.95%) and 377 were women (32.07%). Again, of all the cases, nearly 50% were of the more serious multibacillary form.
Even as the overall prevalence rate (PR) in Mumbai continues to stay below the World Health Organisation’s guideline of 1 (per 10,000 people), officials in the leprosy elimination programme told DNA that there were pockets where the current incidence rate of the disease had even touched 2 per 10,000. These areas were identified as Ghatla village and Lal Dongar in Chembur, and Bail Bazaar in Kurla.
“These pockets house a large number of migrants, many of whom have picked up the bacterial infection while in their native place,” said a state health official.
An increased number of cases have been reported from areas like Shivaji Nagar in Govandi, Mohili and Tunga village in Kurla, Ramtekdi area near Elphinstone Road, Raey Road, Antop Hill, Anand Nagar in Andheri and Navagaon at Dahisar. “Sub-hygienic conditions in these areas help spread the aerial borne infection,” said the official. A survey to detect cases has been undertaken in the Nawab Tank area near Wadala, after fresh cases were reported.
Dr RL Sathe, assistant director, health services, said a large number of cases, especially amongst the migrants, came to light only at an advanced stage due to stigma associated with the disease. He added that active counselling by health workers employed by the state health ministry and the BMC was increasing awareness about the disease and the importance of it being reported early.
“Trained community volunteers are being deputed to reach out to the masses and spread awareness. The program is being undertaken with the help of 169 health posts associated with the BMC,” he said.
If urban Mumbai cuts a sorry figure, the situation in neighbouring Thane and Raigad is worse. Both these zones continue to be endemic to the disease and the prevalence rate is way above 1.
Leprosy was declared eliminated from the state in 2005, when the statewide PR was brought below 1. Eradicated is a PR of 0.
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