Page 126 - SocialHarmony

130 Social Harmony

7.86 per 10,000 at the end of January 2007. Timely and regular
treatment has resulted into 5639 patients being completely
cured. In order to encourage patients to come forward
unhesitatingly for such treatment, which in itself is extremely
expensive, the State Government has adopted the approach of
free and multi-pronged treatment for all leprosy patients. The
government also provides reconstructive surgery and MRC
shoes free of cost to patients who have lost their limbs.

During the May 2005 annual meeting of the Hindu Leprosy
Eradication Union, then President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
praised the steps taken by the Gujarat Government’s health
department in the treatment and eradication of leprosy and
appealed to other states to follow its exemplar model. This
proves that Gujarat has been at the forefront of leprosy
eradication. These efforts of the state have also been appreciated
at the international level. The Gujarat Government was
felicitated by the Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation, Japan
and the International Leprosy Union, Pune at a function on
January 30, 2007.