DOH Utilizes Digital Tools For Continuous Fight Vs Leprosy

The Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday it is continuously strengthening its partnership with local and international health agencies in boosting its campaign for the elimination of leprosy cases in the country by utilizing information and communications technology.

“In this generation wherein gadgets become more of a necessity than a simple accessory, we must utilize the available technology in order to help address the major challenge of leprosy control, which is to disseminate information in order to interrupt disease transmission,” DOH Secretary Janette L. Garin said as the country marked World Leprosy Day.

The Health Chief noted that while it is true that through several efforts made in the past, leprosy has been eradicated as public health burden at the national level, she admitted that there are still pockets of cases in the country at present, causing the Philippines to have the highest number of new leprosy cases in the Western Pacific Region.

Dr. Garin said the high prevalence rate is an indication that transmission is still ongoing and new strategies are needed to eliminate and interrupt the transmission of the disease.

She explained that in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Novartis Foundation, they have come out with the list of new cases of leprosy in the country under the National Leprosy Control Program (NLCP).

Under the WHO-NLCP 2012 Report, the areas in the Philippines with the highest records of new cases of leprosy were: Metro Manila with 99 new cases detected and 9.0 percent prevalence rate; Nueva Ecija (Lupao) with 60 new cases and 4.0 percent prevalence rate; and Cebu City with 37 new cases and 27 percent prevalence rate.

The NLCP makes use of integrated digital portfolio for leprosy case finding, case reporting, and capacity building of health providers for leprosy diagnosis and management.

The digital portfolio includes the Integrated Leprosy Information System (ILIS), the Leprosy Alert and Response Network System (LEARNS), and the Leprosy eLearning Module.

With the ILIS, a web-based data management system, DOH is able to gather, process and analyze patient’s data provided electronically by health providers and leprosy coordinators.

LEARNS, the country’s first mobile phone-based leprosy referral system, enables the frontline healthcare providers in referring suspected leprosy patients to specialists through mobile technology to reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment.

On the other hand, the Leprosy eLearning Module is focused on stigma assessment and provides information on interventions to address stigma and discrimination among persons affected by leprosy.

More than 3,000 healthcare providers have already received training for LEARNS, and the system is now being scaled up nationally through the support of the DOH-NLCP, local government units and other developmental partners.

Aside from WHO and Novartis Foundation, the DOH is also thankful for the contributions of the Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurses Association of the Philippines, Philippine Dermatological Society, Coalition of Leprosy Advocates in the Philippines, Culion Foundation Inc., Philippine Leprosy Mission, and Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation as key partners in the campaign.

“With the help of innovative technology, the DOH will continue to lead the effort to eliminate leprosy in the Philippines. Let us sustain the campaign to increase awareness and reduce stigma and discrimination. Together, we will make it happen,” the Health Chief said. (PNA) SCS/LSJ