EFFECTIVENESS OF ENHANCEMENT STRATEGY FOR NEW CASE FINDINGS AT DISTRICT LEVEL AND IMPACT ON SUSTAINABLE LEPROSY ELIMINATION AND LEPROSY-FREE THAILAND

Boosbun Chua-Intra1 , Chaluay Setkit2 , Wisut Saelim2 , Toungborn Auitpol2 , Pojana Thanyakittikul2 , Nutcha Prompunjai2 , Krisada Hanbunjerd2 , Arjin Cholapand1 and Krisada Mahotan1

Abstract

Effectiveness of enhancement strategy, acceleration of new case findings in districts using epidemiological indicators and impact on success of sustainable leprosy elimination towards a leprosy-free Thailand were evaluated employing retrospective descriptive and analytical studies of data from a Geographic Information System for Leprosy Control and a leprosy database 2010-2019 for Thailand. Three epidemiological indicators used were (1) new cases found every year for five consecutive years, 2) new cases in children found in any year during five consecutive years, and 3) 10 new cases or more during five consecutive years. Proportion of districts with new cases (25-60%) in districts with epidemiological indicators was significantly higher compared to districts without indicators (7-43%) (p-value