Health Department launches leprosy awareness campaign in Dakshina Kannada, district reports 47 cases
Mangaluru: The Health Department launched on Friday the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign, to promote early detection and treatment to the disease and also to educate people in the district about leprosy.
The campaign, which is a nationwide initiative, will continue till February 13.
According to a report by Deccan Herald, District Health Officer Dr. HR Thimmaiah has said that 47 cases of leprosy were reported in Dakshina Kannada till December in 2025-26.
He has stressed on the need for early detection and treatment of the disease as it would prevent complications prior to detection. He also stressed on creating awareness, increasing community participation in cases of early detection. “People should not neglect white or brown patches without sensation on their skin,” the DHO advised.
Dr. Thimmaiah added that people diagnosed positive would be treated with free Leprosy Multidrug Therapy (MDT). “The government also provides Disability Prevention and Medical Rehabilitation (DPMR), splints, self-care kits, multicellular rubber footwear, and reconstructive surgery to patients. People can log on to sanjeevani.opd or esanjeevani.in for free teleconsultation if they come across any symptoms of the disease,” he added.
Referring to social stigma attached to leprosy, the DHO called it a challenge and said that the Department had planned awareness programmes in rural areas in collaboration with gram panchayats to ensure that there is no discrimination of patients. “ASHA workers and staff from other departments will be trained to create awareness among the people to overcome social stigma. A door-to-door campaign will be conducted. In addition, officials will visit educational institutions to create awareness among students,” he said.
Speaking about the leprosy cases in Dakshina Kannada, Dr. Thimmaiah said that the 47 cases were reported between April and December, with 42 being diagnosed as multibacillary (MB) leprosy and five as paucibacillary leprosy. One child too has been detected with leprosy during the year, he added.
He said that the district reported 29 cases in 2020-21, 39 in 2021-22, 75 in 2022-23, 62 in 2023-24, and 43 in 2024-25. The number of cases was higher in 2022-23 as patients were not able to visit hospitals during the Covid-19 pandemic in the previous years, the DHO informed.
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BJP lashes out at Prakash Raj for his demand for screening Palestinian movies at BIFF
Bengaluru (PTI): The BJP on Friday hit out at actor Prakash Raj for demanding screening of Palestinian movies during the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFF).
Raj, who has been named as the BIFF’s ambassador by the Karnataka government, slammed the Centre for restricting Palestinian movies in India.
“The Centre is not allowing the screening of Palestinian movies in the BIFF this year. What is this? How we should protest against it?
As the BIFF Ambassador I request Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that he should take a firm decision on this,” Raj said on Thursday.
He said when the people of Karnataka celebrate the Booker Award to Banu Mushtaq for her novel ‘Heart Lamp’, which is given by others, how can Indians accept restricting others’ stories.
In support of Palestinian cinema, he recited a poem and urged the government to resist politicisation of cultural exchange programmes.
Flaying Prakash Raj, BJP MLA Mahesh Tenginkai said why he is not demanding screening of movies on the Hindu genocide in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
"The ban on Palestinian movie has been decided from the top. I would like to ask those who oppose the government's decision that why they do not demand screening of movies on Hindu genocide in Bangladesh and Pakistan,” the Hubballi-Dharwad Central MLA told reporters here.
He said the Centre was right in banning the screening of Palestinian movies.
