02540nas a2200313   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653004000059653002500099653003000124653002100154653002400175653002100199653001100220653001000231653002300241653001200264653002300276653002700299653001500326100001300341700001200354245011500366300001100481490000700492050003200499520168100531022001402212       2005                            d  c2005 Jul-Sep10aDelivery of Health Care, Integrated10aDisease Notification10aDrug Therapy, Combination10aEndemic Diseases10aGuideline Adherence10aHealth Personnel10aHumans10aIndia10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aProgram evaluation10aQuality of Health Care10aRegistries1 aPandey A1 aPatel R00aIntegration of leprosy control into general health care system: observations from a state with low endemicity.  a229-380 v77  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>The study was undertaken as part of operational research to assess the level of integration of leprosy services into general health care system in 24 low or moderately endemic states/union territories by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Himachal Pradesh was one of the nine randomly selected states for the study. Out of the 12 districts in the State, 2 were selected randomly for the study. In each of the selected districts, 8 health facilities (that included a district hospital, an urban hospital/urban health centre, an Employees' State Insurance Hospital, a community health centre and a primary health centre) and 9 sub-centres were surveyed. Selection was done randomly at each stage. Data were collected on training in leprosy of general health care staff, availability of drugs for MDT in the system and maintenance of leprosy records by the staff of the system. The study showed mixed results. About half (53.2%) of the existing medical officers, 83.9% of health supervisors and 96.8% of multi-purpose workers were trained in leprosy. But only 31.3% of medical officers were able to diagnose leprosy and most of them were relying on vertical staff and skin specialists for confirmation. MDT services were provided by 20% of rural and 66.7% of urban health facilities that were acting as treatment centres. None of the health facilities had 3 months' stock of all types of blister packs, as per the guidelines of the Government of India. None of the sub-centres was involved in MDT delivery. However, reporting as per SIS formats was universal. The study emphasized the need for training and better management of MDT drug stock.</p>  a0254-9395