Combined therapy of leprosy in Bhutan
Samuel, N.M.; Samuel, S.
Indian Journal of Leprosy 56(3): 647-652
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0254-9395 PMID: 6549335 Document Number: 5110
Since 1966, The Leprosy Mission with the active co-operation of the Royal Government of Bhutan, operates the leprosy services from the only leprosy hospital in the country at Gidakom, 15 Km away from the capital city of Thimphu. Leprosy treatment, Mass surveys, and education were the main anti-leprosy programmes. The crude prevalance rates of leprosy were 13.4 per 1000 in the west and 24.8 per 1000 in the east of Bhutan, however, accurate figures are not available. Lepromatous Leprosy accounts for 47% in the west and 31.3% for east respectively. The treatment of leprosy was entirely based on dapsone monotherapy. Para medical workers delivered the drugs at home of the patients. Patients were admitted for reactions, surgery and stabilisation. Because of the high prevalance of multibacillary leprosy it was intended to use combined chemotherapy in patients admitted at the hospital who had received previously dapsone monotherapy irregularly; and in newly diagnosed multibacillary and paucibacillary patients.
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