How can the private practitioners support leprosy elimination in India

The private providers especially private practitioners are the first contact points for any types of ailments both in the urban and rural situations. From 2001 onwards, the services for National Leprosy Eradication changed to integrated system involving general healthcare system. Special emphasis is laid on correct diagnosis of leprosy cases before declaring and putting them under multidrug therapy. The government doctors were provided repeated training for this capacity building to diagnose and manage all diagnosed cases. Government of India also arranged practice of giving orientation programme to the private practitioners through IMA in the year 2004-05. The private practitioners can support the programme through case diagnosis, continuation of treatment and spreading awareness.