Uttarakhand declares leprosy notifiable disease

Dehradun: Uttarakhand has declared leprosy a notifiable disease, making it mandatory for all diagnosed cases in private or govt hospitals and private clinics to be reported to district leprosy officers. Officials said the move is aimed at strengthening surveillance, ensuring early treatment and preventing transmission.Data under the National Leprosy Elimination Programme shows that the state's leprosy prevalence rate stands at 0.23 per 10,000 population. Leprosy affects the skin, peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. Apart from physical deformities, those affected also face stigma and discrimination, the World Health Organisation (WHO) states.In 2025-26, a total of 241 new cases, including five children, were detected in the state. Nearly five cases (2.1%) were classified as multibacillary (MB), the more severe form of the disease. Departmental data accessed by TOI shows that Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar reported relatively higher caseloads.According to WHO, MB leprosy involves more than five skin lesions, or nerve involvement, or the presence of bacilli in a slit-skin smear, irrespective of the number of lesions.Out of 13 districts, seven -- Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pauri, Rudraprayag and Tehri Garhwal -- are currently classified as leprosy-free. This means no indigenous child case has been reported for five consecutive years.Dr Jitendra Negi, joint director and state nodal officer (leprosy), Uttarakhand health department, said, "When disease burden declines, under-detection and silent transmission becomes the greater risk. Making leprosy notifiable will close surveillance gaps, especially in the private sector, and ensure early diagnosis, contact screening and disability prevention. This is a public health measure to safeguard the state's elimination gains."Health officials said the state is in a maintenance and consolidation phase, not at programmatic exit. They added that low prevalence increases the risk of under-reporting and complacency, particularly in the private sector. Child cases, they said, are indicators of recent transmission.Officials said missed cases could restart transmission chains, and notification at this stage is intended to preserve existing gains. The proposal was signed by health secretary Sachin Kurve and approved by governor Lt Gen (retd) Gurmit Singh.