City Leprosy Project completes 33 Years of Service

At a simple but significant function, Bombay Leprosy Project (BLP) observed its Foundation day on 11-9-2009. It is on this day that the founder members met and formed the concept of Bombay Leprosy Project.

Dr R Ganapati, the Founder Director BLP and currently serving as the Director Emeritus mentioned that the institution was established with other leading members like Dr Wardekar and Dr P Kapoor and a few other stalwarts in leprosy as members of the committee. The object was to undertake field work on a massive scale to implement cost effective ways of controlling leprosy. . Documentation of several operational research studies published by BLP led to its recognition in the national and international circles. BLP is looked upon as a model to be emulated in similar situations.

Dr V V Pai Director BLP, while congratulating and thanking all the staff members for their contribution recalled the huge efforts in this journey of thirty three years despite several constraints, odds and difficulties. He mentioned that through collaborative efforts and integrated approach, the services to leprosy patients need to be further improved and continued. BLP’s collaboration with K J Somaiya Medical College has benefited in reaching specialized services to leprosy patients and is a model of collaborative activity.

Dr (Mrs) Rohini Shetye, Asst Professor, Dept of Ophthalmology, KJ Somaiya Medical College, the Chief Guest appreciated the leprosy relief work of BLP despite several challenges and encouraged that it should continue to reach many more leprosy patients.

Dr S Khanolkar, Asst Director BLP proposed the vote of thanks.
Medical Officers, Staff of BLP, Interns and leprosy patients formed the audience.

BLP News

Academic Meeting on

WHO Document on “Enhanced Strategy for Further reducing the Disease Burden 2011-2015”

To deliberate upon the new policies of WHO Enhanced strategy for further reducing the disease burden 2011-2015, an academic meeting was organized on Monday, 31-8-09
at the Main Referral Centre of Bombay Leprosy Project.

What are the new strategies? How are they different from the earlier ones? How services to patients can be further improved were some of the issues discussed at the meeting.

Dr Ankur an Intern from K J Somaiya Medical College initially highlighted the salient aspects of the policies related to epidemiological situation, improving the quality of services to patients, equity, social justice and human rights, drug resistance surveillance, chemoprophylaxis of leprosy and research priorities.

Dr Jeetendra another Intern from K J Somaiya Medical College related the statistics and the trends of leprosy indicators as published in the WHO Weekly epidemiological report 2009.

Dr R Ganapati Director Emeritus, BLP mentioned that WHO has rightly stressed again on the importance of the main indicators for monitoring progress such as the rate of new cases detected and the rate of new cases with grade 2 disabilities per 100,000 population. it is not clear as to how identification of early neuritis and reactions as well as prevention of progression of grade 1 to grade2 can be put in practice in an integrated set-up. The disease burden contributed by patients developing new disability either during MDT or after completion of MDT is important. This calls for operational research.

Dr V V Pai Director BLP, pointed out that it is significant that WHO has highlighted the data on global relapses and particularly with reference to India. The paramedical workers are also asked to report on the number of reactions and relapses in their routine reporting format and this will now help to get an idea of the magnitude of the problem.
Post graduate students from the city medical colleges, Interns, senior faculty members from the Dept of PSM of medical colleges and Medical Officers and Paramedical workers formed the audience.