A yearly update providing data from 160 countries around the world on the state of leprosy. The data will be useful to policy-makers, planners and researchers.
The main leprosy indicators are now all based on a denominator of 1 million population. The key indicators are the case detection rate, the disability rate and the case detection rate in children.
The sub-title, “Time to step-up prevention initiatives” is the main focus of the Editorial comment on the last 3 pages, emphasizing the Triple Zero targets
Weekly Epidemiological Record 4 SEPTEMBER 2020, 95th YEAR No 36, 2020, 95, 417–440
The World Health Organisation has issued new Technical Guidance on management of leprosy reactions and prevention of disability. The guidance originated in an informal consultation in late 2018 where numerous ILEP technical specialists were involved.
The Technical Guidance provides updated and detailed guidance on critically important actions to prevent disability. Main chapters include:
Distinction between the different types of leprosy reaction – how they present, how they are managed and the potential consequences if not managed well
How to assess nerve function and undertake sensory testing and voluntary muscle testing, so as to recognise nerve damage as early as possible
How to recognise early, and correctly treat, leprosy reactions and neuritis, so as to avoid irreversible nerve damage and the resulting disability. There are separate chapters for the medical management and for front-line health workers, including a useful step-by-step guide
A feature that users may find especially useful is a set of flow-charts, or algorithms, towards the end of the publication, which are a visual guide to making the right clinical decisions.
Brief advice is given in relation to COVID-19 concerning general issues, diagnosis and clinical management of leprosy patients, public health aspects of leprosy in the COVID-19 pandemic and services for persons living with disabilities and/or psychosocial consequences of leprosy
"This guide is part of a series of four Guides to reduce stigma. The guides are for all managers, health and social workers and service staff who have to deal with stigma in leprosy and other health conditions. These Guides provide evidence-based and best-practice information from different disciplines, and recommendations for field workers on how to reduce stigma against and among affected persons and in the community. This first Guide provides basic information on stigma, its causes, manifestations, and effects"
"This guide is part of a series of four Guides to reduce stigma. The guides are for all managers, health and social workers and service staff who have to deal with stigma in leprosy and other health conditions. These Guides provide evidence-based and best-practice information from different disciplines, and recommendations for field workers on how to reduce stigma against and among affected persons and in the community...The second Guide describes when and how to assess stigma using qualitative and quantitative methods and instruments. It also explains how to use the instruments"
"This guide is part of a series of four Guides to reduce stigma. The guides are for all managers, health and social workers and service staff who have to deal with stigma in leprosy and other health conditions. These Guides provide evidence-based and best-practice information from different disciplines, and recommendations for field workers on how to reduce stigma against and among affected persons and in the community...The third Guide provides recommendations on how to develop an approach for reducing stigma. Through the use of a roadmap, several steps are discussed for reducing stigma related to a particular health condition"
"This guide is part of a series of four Guides to reduce stigma. The guides are for all managers, health and social workers and service staff who have to deal with stigma in leprosy and other health conditions. These Guides provide evidence-based and best-practice information from different disciplines, and recommendations for field workers on how to reduce stigma against and among affected persons and in the community...The fourth guide explains the use of counselling at a basic level in dealing with stigma. It provides an explanation on different techniques and approaches for counselling persons affected by stigma"
"This book is for all health workers who may have to help people who have nerve damage to their eyes, hands and feet. It will help them to encourage patients to develop a lifetime habit of caring for nerve-damaged parts. The content of this book complements the recommendations in the Operational Guidelines of the World Health Organization"
Note: This resource is available to download in three parts
"This guide is intended for all health workers who may have to manage the complications of leprosy. It contains practical advice on how to recognise leprosy reactions and give the correct treatment. Also included is advice on referral of reactions and specialist treatment"
