By Our Special correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jun 25: Despite the fact that leprosy was officially eradicated from state ever since December 2006, more than 15 per cent of the new leprosy cases perceived in Goa are children, the health officials conceded.
"It is alarming that 15.38 per cent of total cases reported in Goa are that of children," state health secretary Sanjiv Srivastava said today.
He was addressing a seminar at state secreatariate on Eradication of Leprosy organised by state directorate of health services.
"We want that detection of leprosy should be done at early stage so that it can be controlled without disfiguring the body," Srivastava said.
According to official records, officially Goa achieved leprosy elimination in December 2006, almost a year after neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Karnataka achieved the feet.
"The general health care system in Goa doing best to sustain the elimination achieved in December 2006. The present prevalence rate is 0.57 out of 10,000 population," Dr M Mohandas, chief medical officer, directorate of health services, said.
He stated that 112 new leprosy cases were detected in the year 2008.
The national leprosy eradication programme implemented in Goa has found five clusters as a high risk areas which includes Taleigao, Vasco, Quepem, Chimbel and Ponda, where the average leprosy detection rate is more.
"We will be holding special skin care camps in these areas," Dr Mohandas informed the seminar.