Impact of Covid-19 Disease on Health Care Services of Leprosy Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Centre, Telangana

Covid - 19 disease was declared as a pandemic by World Health Organization in March 2020. Subsequently, a nationwide lock down for variable intensity and periods was announced in India to contain the disease. Leprosy patients faced difficulties during this pandemic owing to their long-term health care requirements and lack of access to leprosy services during covid time. This resulted in deprivation of multi - drug therapy (MDT), steroids and other drugs to leprosy patients, which is detrimental to the patients as well as to the society. This study was conducted to analyze the impact of covid-19 pandemic induced lock downs and movement restrictions on leprosy patients attending a tertiary care centre. This provides data to assess their impact on leprosy healthcare services. The study observed a marked decrease in the number of leprosy patients attending the leprosy out patient care and also a reduction in the number of new cases registered during the year 2020. Quarterly analysis showed maximum reduction of cases occurring during the lockdown period and peak covid-19 infection periods. As there is a likelihood of this pandemic continuing and similar other disruptions may occur again, there is a need to assure that MDT and health care services reach leprosy patients by various other means. Some of the modifications can be a) supplying a 3 to 6 month course at a time as A-MDT, b) home delivery of drugs by health workers c) promotion of telemedicine services for leprosy patients d) optimal utilization of social media to educate and counsel leprosy patients on both covid-19 and leprosy. It is also important that leprosy clinics and drug delivery services should be continued both in Covid and Non-covid hospitals at par with Revised National TB Control Programe (RNTPC) renamed as National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) and Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) services.

Keywords

Pandemic Covid-19, Leprosy Healthcare Services, Impact of Lockdown, India

Citation

Indira D, Vani DS, Padmaja P, T Rajeev Singh, Prasad JVDS, Krishna A Venkata. Impact of Covid-19 Disease on Health Care Services of Leprosy Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Centre, Telangana. Indian Journal of Leprosy. 2022 Mar; 94: 63-68

URI

https://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/222620

Collections

Indian Journal of Leprosy

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