Integrated surveys as a tool for early case detection in leprosy control programme

A project for total leprosy case detection particularly early leprosy cases was undertaken in Wardha District which has a rural population of about 6 lacs in 905 villages, through an integrated survey with the help of all health workers like Leprosy Technicians, Sanitary Inspectors, Co-ordinators, Malaria Workers, Smallpox Vaccinators and Auxillary Nurse Midwives. The training given to the Non Leprosy Health Worker was for a period of 3 days making them just fit to suspect all leprosy cases. The final diagnosis was to be made by the fully trained Leprosy Technicians. The surveys were conducted in batches of 3 to 4 workers. Surveys were conducted for 4 weeks at a stretch and working for 5 days every week. Every year two such integrated surveys were conducted. From November 1973 to December 1975, four such surveys were undertaken. During the other period, Leprosy Technicians were conducting the normal surveys. It was found that through these integrated survey it is possible to undertake the survey of all the villages once in two years and the case detection rate at the end of the 4th survey was found to be 85.5% of the estimated cases in the rural areas. Normally, it would have taken about 5 years to complete the survey of all the villages by the Leprosy Technicians alone, and the case detection rate could not have been more than 70 to 75%. Through this programme, Leprosy patients in every early stages have been detected. The paper discusses the methods, planning and the results obtained.