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BBC to help eliminate leprosy in Orissa

Bibhuti Mishra in Bhubaneswar

The British Broadcasting Corporation is to lend a helping hand to the fight against leprosy in Orissa.

The BBC World Service Trust, its non-governmental organisation arm, has started a month-long campaign, in collaboration with Doordarshan and All India Radio, towards this end. Said Peter Gill, executive producer of the trust, "Our programmes have been made to support the Indian government's objective of eliminating leprosy by 2003."

The campaign in Orissa is part of a year-long anti-leprosy media campaign in India funded by the British government's Department for International Development. Launched in the last week of June, it will help spread the message that leprosy is curable and end prejudices against leprosy patients. People will also be informed about the free anti-leprosy drugs being made available.

Special television and radio advertising spots are being aired to alert people about the Health Ministry's Modified Leprosy Elimination Campaign. People are being persuaded to take multi-drug therapy at primary health centres and government hospitals.

More than 1.62 lakh cases were recorded in Orissa last year. However, the government's efforts are bearing fruit. The prevalence rate has dropped from 121 per ten thousand persons in 1983 to 10.7 at present. The aim is to bring it down to 6 per ten thousand.

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