Progress and impact of multidrug therapy (MDT) implementation to leprosy control in Thailand

Abstract

This paper report the progress and impact of MDT implementation to leprosy control in Thailand since 1984 until 1994. By ten years of MDT implementation, number of registered cases dropped from 44,406 in 1984 to only 4,878 cases in 1994. Which made prevalence rate declined 90% from 8.8 to 0.83 per 10,000 population, the detection rate of new case declined from 6.2 to 1.97 per 100,000 population. Total 39,372 cases have been completely covered by MDT and 22,821 cases under post MDT surveillance with the low relapse rate only 1.46%, other indicators showing natural decline of leprosy were increasing in proportion of mutibacilary leprosy and mean age at onset of new case of leprosy together with decreasing in proportion of children among new case. Other impact of MDT showing increasing trend of proportion of new case of patient who voluntarily attend treatment centers. However, there were still no satisfactory impact on decreasing in proportion of deformity and duration since onset to the first detection of new case of leprosy.