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The number of leprosy patients is increasing at an alarming rate in Dhaka and its adjacent districts, although the total number of patients has been decreasing in the country during recent years.
The Dhaka city corporations, which previously were under white zone, have already been categorised as yellow zone for the disease, according to National Leprosy Programme (NLP) officials.
Visiting the Institute of Leprosy Control Hospital at Mohakhali in the capital on Thursday afternoon, this correspondent found that among the 13 patients, nine were from Dhaka or its surrounding districts.
The new exposure in the capital and its nearby districts is disturbing the officials involved in leprosy control about their progress to make Bangladesh leprosy free by 2030 which the prime minister of the country announced to achieve.
According to the officials from NLP under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), in 2021 Bangladesh detected 2,872 cases while it was 2,742 in 2020, 3,638 in 2019, 3,729 in 2018 and 3,754 in 2017.
“Up to October 2022, 2,223 new cases, among them 115 are children, have been detected,” said Dr Tanzina Islam, deputy programme manager (training and logistic) of NLP.
“The worrying scenario we are receiving is in Dhaka and its surrounding areas where the number of new cases are increasing,” she added.
Officials from the programme said that most of the leprosy patients detected in Dhaka are elderly people.
A 70-year old patient from the leprosy hospital said that he noticed the syndrome around 26 years ago and the disease was finally diagnosed three years ago. Now he is taking treatment from time to time in the hospital.
Detection of the disease in case of almost all the patients admitted to the hospital, except one or two, was delayed. As a result, complications grew in them, the hospital sources said.
Officials from the programme said that due to the Covid pandemic, the number of cases detected in 2020 and 2021 was somewhat lower than expected.
The number of patients, who were sent to Nilphamari Leprosy Mission Hospital for advanced treatment like grafting of the injured skin, was less during the pandemic and now the hospital authorities are also expecting more patients.
Surendranath Sheel, RSP in-charge of the hospital, said that they generally have 100 to 110 patients in a year, but it was 70 to 80 in the last two years as there was a movement restriction.
Bordering districts are at extreme risks
India accounts for the highest number of new leprosy patients in the world while Bangladesh is now at six.
Officials from NLP said that as Bangladesh is situated beside India, it is very understandable that India contributes more in spreading the disease in Bangladesh.
According to Dr Tanzina, the districts under red zone are Moulvibazar, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Panchgarh, Rangpur, Thakurgaon, Joypurhat and Meherpur. Although the theory of India being the source of the spread of leprosy in the country does not have any scientific evidence till now, it is true that the affected people from the border areas have the history of visiting the neighbouring country.
“The worrying matter is that Dhaka and its neighbouring districts were previously marked as no risk zones. But these districts are turning into risky zones now,” said Dr Tanzina, adding that they are trying to make early detection so that further complication cannot make it harder to treat.
“For a disease that has no vaccine till now, early detection is the best way to recover,” said Prof Dr Samiul Islam, Additional Director General (planning and development) of DGHS, also the former director of MBDC unit, under which the NLP is being implemented.
“So, we are emphasising more on early dictation and treatment for the existing patients. Currently, the government is carrying all treatment costs for the patients,” he added.
