A leprosy identification and eradication programme would be intensified in the high and less prone and far flung inaccessible areas in the State. About 36,162 ASHAs, 6,240 health workers, 1,090 health supervisors, 1,381 medical officers and 291 officers would be engaged in the drive.
In a State level workshop here, Health and Family Welfare Secretary PK Meherda has asked the CDMOs and DPMs to work for successful implementation of the programme.
The Government has set a target to make Odisha leprosy-free by 2020 and before that to reduce the leprosy affected persons to less than one in every 10 lakh population by October 2, 2019.
According to sources, a leprosy eradication programme has been launched in the State since 1983 and all districts have been covered under it in phases. However, still, the numbers of leprosy-hit in the State in 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 are 8,004, 10,175, 10,045, and 9,576 respectively.
