Massive Campaign Launched in Nabarangpur District to Achieve a ‘Leprosy-Free Odisha’ Through Intensive Screening, Early Detection, and Public Awareness

Nabarangpur, Aug 5 [UDN}:  With the objective of building a ‘Leprosy-Free Odisha’, the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Odisha, under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), has launched a 15-day Leprosy Case Detection Campaign (LCDC) across Nabarangpur district. The campaign began today and will continue until August 18, 2026.
Under this initiative, health workers will conduct door-to-door visits to identify suspected leprosy patients and ensure they receive immediate diagnosis and treatment. The campaign will be implemented in all eight blocks of Nabarangpur district.
A preparatory review meeting was held earlier at the Mehta Conference Hall under the chairmanship of District Collector Dr. Maheshwar Swain.
According to official data presented during the meeting, a total of 6,133 leprosy patients have been identified in the district so far. Of these, 5,936 patients have successfully recovered, while 197 patients are currently undergoing treatment this year.
During the campaign, health teams will visit approximately 2,11,643 households and screen around 9,45,397 residents across the district. Daily progress reports of the campaign will be submitted to the district headquarters for monitoring.
To ensure the campaign’s success, the district administration has deployed:
1,480 ASHA workers
300 Multi-Purpose Health Workers (MPHWs)
125 Community Health Officers (CHOs)
26 Health Supervisors
70 MBBS doctors
46 AYUSH doctors
All personnel have received specialized training in identifying and managing leprosy cases before the campaign began.
During household visits, ASHA workers will examine family members for common symptoms of leprosy, including:
Numb white or copper-colored skin patches,
Unusual skin changes,
Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet.
Individuals suspected of having leprosy will be examined by MBBS doctors. Once the disease is confirmed, patients will receive Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) free of cost from the government. With regular medication, leprosy can be completely cured within 6 to 12 months.
In addition, dedicated health teams will conduct screening in all schools and Anganwadi centres across the district to identify leprosy among children at an early stage and ensure timely treatment.
While the Government of India aims to eliminate leprosy from the country by 2027, Nabarangpur district has also set a specific target of reducing the number of child leprosy cases to zero through early detection, awareness, and prompt treatment.