Report of workshop on prevention of disability

Place of prevention of impairment and disability (POID) in leprosy control. Prevention of impairment and disability is integral to leprosy. From the perspective of the patient, impairments and disabilities constitute the essence of the disease. Thus, POID should be integral to any leprosy control program, be it vertical, integrated or otherwise organized. It is understood that early detection and the provision of multidrug therapy (MDT) are the primary means of POID. Yet nerve impairment and the resulting disability remain a vital issue in many cases, and need to be addressed at every level. This means that POID activities should be defined, implemented, and recorded effectively. Evaluation should occur using appropriate parameters, adequate teaching material provided, and sufficient resources supplied. [...]