<p>Mumbai: In an effort to curb the spread of leprosy and ensure timely treatment for patients, the Maharashtra government has officially declared leprosy a “notifiable disease.” </p><p>As per this directive, it is now mandatory for all doctors and healthcare institutions to report every diagnosed case of leprosy within two weeks to the respective District Health Office, Assistant Director (Health Services – Leprosy) and local municipal health authorities.</p>.Oppn holds 'Satyacha Morcha' in Maharashtra; Uddhav, Raj and Sharad Pawar slam EC over voters list.<p>Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, eyes, and other organs. </p><p>Despite medical advancements, fear, stigma, and misconceptions about the disease persist in society. </p><p>If diagnosis or treatment is delayed, patients may develop deformities including grade-2 disability.</p><p>The Health Department has emphasized that early diagnosis and complete treatment are key elements in controlling leprosy.</p><p>The state government has set a goal of achieving a “Leprosy-Free Maharashtra” by 2027.</p><p>The objectives include completely breaking the chain of infection, reducing disease transmission to zero, eliminating deformities among children, and eradicating social discrimination against persons affected by leprosy.</p><p>To achieve these targets, all doctors—both in public and private sectors—as well as pathologists, microbiologists, healthcare staff, and field officers are required to ensure proper treatment, follow-up of all diagnosed cases, and administration of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to their close contacts.</p><p>As of September 2025, Maharashtra has reported 7,863 new leprosy cases, with 13,010 patients currently under treatment. Against this backdrop, the Health Department has urged all medical professionals to strictly adhere to the notification and reporting norms for leprosy cases.</p><p>The department has also appealed to the general public not to fear the disease. </p><p>If any symptoms appear, individuals should immediately visit the nearest health center. Leprosy is a completely curable disease—provided it is diagnosed and treated in time.</p><p>Reacting to the development, Dr Ishwar Gilada, Consultant in Infectious Diseases,Unison Medicare and Research Centre, Mumbai, said: “ This is a double standard and double edged sword.On one hand they make it notifiable and then appeal to the people not to fear. Secondly, not all leprosy cases are infectious. Especially, neuritic leprosy - leprosy of peripheral nerves is non communicable. Hence, while making it notifiable, only infectious leprosy should be notifiable. In persons living with HIV, after starting antiretroviral treatment, some of them come with nerve pain or peripheral nerve enlargement. This is due to a phenomenon termed Immune Constitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS); which happens due to sudden gain and fluctuations in immunity, as Leprosy essentially is an immunological disorder.”</p><p>Leprosy, also called Hansen’s disease, was declared notifiable in 2005 uniformly under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.Before that it was notifiable in some states.</p><p>It was once again redeclared as notifiable in 2017 to strengthen the surveillance.</p><p>The stigma associated with leprosy is so high that dedicated colonies of leprosy were cropped up in almost all urban townships. Stigma was so high that the leprosy patients were termed by a derogatory word lepers. It took a long drawn fight to eliminate that term.</p>
<p>Mumbai: In an effort to curb the spread of leprosy and ensure timely treatment for patients, the Maharashtra government has officially declared leprosy a “notifiable disease.” </p><p>As per this directive, it is now mandatory for all doctors and healthcare institutions to report every diagnosed case of leprosy within two weeks to the respective District Health Office, Assistant Director (Health Services – Leprosy) and local municipal health authorities.</p>.Oppn holds 'Satyacha Morcha' in Maharashtra; Uddhav, Raj and Sharad Pawar slam EC over voters list.<p>Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, eyes, and other organs. </p><p>Despite medical advancements, fear, stigma, and misconceptions about the disease persist in society. </p><p>If diagnosis or treatment is delayed, patients may develop deformities including grade-2 disability.</p><p>The Health Department has emphasized that early diagnosis and complete treatment are key elements in controlling leprosy.</p><p>The state government has set a goal of achieving a “Leprosy-Free Maharashtra” by 2027.</p><p>The objectives include completely breaking the chain of infection, reducing disease transmission to zero, eliminating deformities among children, and eradicating social discrimination against persons affected by leprosy.</p><p>To achieve these targets, all doctors—both in public and private sectors—as well as pathologists, microbiologists, healthcare staff, and field officers are required to ensure proper treatment, follow-up of all diagnosed cases, and administration of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to their close contacts.</p><p>As of September 2025, Maharashtra has reported 7,863 new leprosy cases, with 13,010 patients currently under treatment. Against this backdrop, the Health Department has urged all medical professionals to strictly adhere to the notification and reporting norms for leprosy cases.</p><p>The department has also appealed to the general public not to fear the disease. </p><p>If any symptoms appear, individuals should immediately visit the nearest health center. Leprosy is a completely curable disease—provided it is diagnosed and treated in time.</p><p>Reacting to the development, Dr Ishwar Gilada, Consultant in Infectious Diseases,Unison Medicare and Research Centre, Mumbai, said: “ This is a double standard and double edged sword.On one hand they make it notifiable and then appeal to the people not to fear. Secondly, not all leprosy cases are infectious. Especially, neuritic leprosy - leprosy of peripheral nerves is non communicable. Hence, while making it notifiable, only infectious leprosy should be notifiable. In persons living with HIV, after starting antiretroviral treatment, some of them come with nerve pain or peripheral nerve enlargement. This is due to a phenomenon termed Immune Constitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS); which happens due to sudden gain and fluctuations in immunity, as Leprosy essentially is an immunological disorder.”</p><p>Leprosy, also called Hansen’s disease, was declared notifiable in 2005 uniformly under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.Before that it was notifiable in some states.</p><p>It was once again redeclared as notifiable in 2017 to strengthen the surveillance.</p><p>The stigma associated with leprosy is so high that dedicated colonies of leprosy were cropped up in almost all urban townships. Stigma was so high that the leprosy patients were termed by a derogatory word lepers. It took a long drawn fight to eliminate that term.</p>