Primary health care in relation to leprosy in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Primary Health Care (PHC) in Sri Lanka is dependent on Public Health Midwives (PHM - 1 per 3,000 population), Public Health Inspectors (PHI - 1 per 30,000 population), and Public Health Nurses (PHN - 1 per 100,000 population), supervised by Medical Officers of Health (MOH - 1 per 200,000 population). Each MOH has several PHIs under him - each PHI serves in an area called his Range which is part of the large area under the MOH. The PHIs are specially involved in leprosy control in that they are expected to: maintain chartings and data regarding all leprosy patients in their areas; visit defaulters and persuade them to resume treatment; screen contacts of known patients; assist is school and other leprosy surveys; assist at leprosy clinics in their areas; and notify any new cases to the Superintendent, Antileprosy Campaign.