Leprosy control in a primary health care programme in the Sudan.

Over the last 3 decades there have been marked changes i n leprosy control policies . Until the early 1 940's the practice had been the compulsary segre­ gation of leprosy patients in colonies . I This was later replaced by their treat­ ment in leprosy villages. 2. 3 Before the introduction of the sulphone drugs , isolation was the main method of leprosy control . After the introduction of sulphone4 and the proved effectiveness of dapsone by mouthS, there was a marked inclination towards outpatient treatment. Some leprologists6• 7 called for caution in respect to the policy of giving up isolation for outpatient treatment . However, the results of8• 9,10 proved beyond doubt the efficiency of chemotherapy in reducing infectivity of lepromatous patients and that there was no need for isolation of the leprosy patients. This breakthrough in the leprosy treatment was also a potent therapy for the so cial pathology of the disease . II Over the years control programmes undertaken in different countries varied widely . 1 2 Vertical leprosy control programmes, integrated programmes, or partially integrated programmes were developed in different countries . 1 3 However, many leprosy workers were i n favour o f a n integrated programme as a better method for the control of leprosy. 14