Dedicated paramedical workers not required for NLEP: Centre to HC

Cuttack: The Centre has informed the Orissa high court that dedicated paramedical workers are not required to be engaged under National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) for screening and treatment.The claim was made in an affidavit placed before the court on Tuesday during hearing of a PIL seeking effective implementation of NLEP filed by secretary of State Leprosy Welfare Federation, Bipin Bihari Pradhan, in 2015.On May 7, the HC had directed both the state and central govts to file a reply to the argument of petitioner’s counsel B K Mishra that engagement of paramedical workers is required for effective implementation of NLEP. He argued there is no dedicated workforce for NLEP.The two-judge bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho posted the matter on Aug 14 for further consideration along with Mishra’s rejoinder to the affidavit. NLEP was launched by the ministry of health & family welfare in 1983 and has been implemented by various states, including Odisha.In the affidavit, senior regional director (regional office) of the ministry, Dr Suchitra Sasmal, stated that leprosy treatment was integrated with general healthcare services (GHS) at functional as well as structural level in order to decentralise and universalise NLEP in 2002.After integration of NLEP with GHS, no dedicated paramedical workers were required to be engaged under NLEP for leprosy screening and treatment, as this programme along with others such as TB, malaria, dengue, maternal health, child health and immunisation, were required to be carried out as a part of the comprehensive healthcare service delivery system. Hence, allopathic and Ayush medical officers, multi-purpose health workers and supervisors, nursing and community health officers, laboratory technicians, Asha workers, physiotherapists and other medical staff deliver services under NLEP along with other healthcare services.

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