01785nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653002800059653002900087653002100116653001800137653001100155653001200166653003000178653002700208100001400235700001900249245007700268300001100345490000700356050003200363520112200395022001401517       2000                            d  c2000 Jul-Sep10aAllied Health Personnel10aCongenital Abnormalities10aDisabled Persons10aGlobal health10aHumans10aleprosy10aReferral and Consultation10aRehabilitation Centers1 aVirmond M1 aPereira H da R00aSurgical correction of deformities and disabilities in leprosy patients.  a401-120 v72  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>Despite some positive experiences, surgical rehabilitation, presently, is minimally available in endemic countries and the contingent of patients in need of this modality of treatment is enlarging constantly. With the reduction of prevalence of leprosy and the progressive integration of care of leprosy-affected persons into the general health services, surgical rehabilitation should be made available in these centres. Training health personnel of general health services in leprosy surgery is mandatory and urgent. There is a need for the settlement of a multi-organizational task-force (WHO-ILEP-ILA) to deal with this problem. The aim of this task-force should be the definition of strategies to organize such training and to increase awareness among medical societies and schools regarding this issue. This group should also remember that the referral centres in Africa, Asia, North and South America should act as reservoir of this knowledge and, as such, should be fully supported and enhanced, since they have an important and unique role to play in the training of general health services personnel.</p>  a0254-9395