LEPRA Society

Introduction
Objectives & Activities
JUNLEP

Introduction
Established in 1997, the Junagarh Leprosy Eradication Project (JUNLEP) is addressing the problems of leprosy, tuberculosis, malaria and blindness in Dharmagarh sub-division of Kalahandi district. In addition to this, the project has a referral centre with in-patient facility to offer specialised services in leprosy for the people of Kalahandi and Nuapada district. The project interventions are based on the national programmes like National Leprosy Elimination Programme, Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, National Programme for Control of Blindness, National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme, etc.

Activities

Disease-Specific Interventions and Achievements (till December 2009)

Leprosy:
The key interventions under leprosy programme are
Supporting mainstream health programme in case detection (Till 2005 the project was directly implementing diagnosis and treatment activities) Providing technical support to mainstream health programmes in integration of disability care services through Disability Prevention and Medical Rehabilitation (DPMR) Clinics Prevention of deformity through complication management, self-care education and protective footwear Prevention of worsening of deformity through reconstructive surgery, ulcer care, protective footwear and other devices Socio-Economic rehabilitation (SER) Information, Education and Communication (IEC)

Achievements
	The prevalence of leprosy has been brought down to 1.29 per 10,000 population in 2009 from 20 per 10,000 population in 1997 8627 leprosy cases have been diagnosed and 8219 patients were cured with MDT Deformity has been prevented in 1199 cases Reconstructive surgery has helped 217 beneficiaries in restoring functional ability More 10,000 pairs of protective footwear have been supplied to the beneficiaries 144 beneficiaries have been supported under the SER programme through revolving loan

Tuberculosis:
The tuberculosis interventions are undertaken through a designated microscopy centre (DMC) under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme.
The key interventions include:
Facilitating sputum collection in difficult-to-reach areas through sputum collection centres Sputum microscopy for diagnosis Treatment by DOTS Training of DOTS providers Communication and social mobilisation

Achievements
2091 symptomatics accessed sputum examination 401 cases were put on DOTS 245 cases cured and 156 cases completed treatment The cure rate in last 3 years has remained above 90%

Blindness:
The project is one of the partners of the Distinct Blindness Control Society (DBCS), Kalahandi for referral of cataract cases under PPP scheme. Apart from this a blindness control programme is in place to reduce the incidence of avoidable blindness among the children in the age group 5-16.

The key interventions are
Screening of cataract cases through outreach camps Referral of fit-for-surgery cases to DBCS for cataract surgery Screening of childhood blinding conditions through a mobile clinic equipped with refraction and spectacle dispensing facilities Provision of spectacles to the children with refractive error Vitamin-A supplementation to the children suffering from Vitamin-A deficiency syndromes Screening of adult patients for refractive error and provision of spectacles through base hospital clinic Community mobilisation and awareness

Achievements
1015 cases with cataract have been operated 6529 children from 127 schools have accessed screening facilities 1443 children have received corrective spectacles for refractive error 2370 children have been supplemented with Vitamin-A 15 children have undergone cataract surgery in LEPRA Mahanadi Eye Hospital (LMEH) located at Bir Maharajpur of Sonepur district.

Malaria:

The project has supporting the NVBDC Programme implemented by the district health administration. The main purpose of this intervention is to increase the access of people to diagnosis and treatment of malaria in difficult-to-reach areas and to mobilise the community to respond to the cause.

The key interventions under malaria include:

Community mobilisation & capacity building
Malaria Samadhan Sibir (a forum to diagnose and treat malaria and to discuss various operational issues related to malaria through provider-user interface activities)

Achievements:

5013 individuals accessed diagnosis and treatment for malaria through 52 camps
Blood slides of 2333 individuals were examined, of which 519 malaria positive cases detected and treated
Village sanitation programmes were implemented in 33 villages
418 community level stakeholders have been trained and sensitised

Human interest story
Seeing the beautiful world again
Bimala Sunani is a 14-year-old girl, living in Talamala village, Kalahandi district. Bimala’s mother identified a white spot in her right eye when she was 3 years old but ignored it. At the age of 7, when Bimala started going to school she could not read books. The problem still remained unattended until JUNLEP mobile clinic conducted a camp in the village in December 2007 to screen the children with visual dysfunction.
She was detected with congenital cataract in her right eye. Surgical intervention was the only way to restore vision of Bimala but the cost of surgery was not affordable by the parents. After due consultation with the parents, JUNLEP decided to refer the case to LMEH for surgical intervention.
Finally an IOL implantation surgery was performed on her right eye on 3rd July 2009 re-enabling Bimala to see the beautiful world. Bimala is now back to school and the parents are extremely pleased with the unexpected outcome.