Operational aspects of the implementation of multidrug therapy at ALERT, Ethiopia.

The ALERT Leprosy Control Department is responsible for leprosy control in Shoa Administrative Region (Figure 1 ) . This region is centrally located in Ethiopia; it covers an area of about 8 5 ,000 sq km, with a population of 8 ·75 million. The region is divided into one urban and 1 1 rural districts . Leprosy diagnostic and treatment services are given in 292 centres, 1 76 (60 %) are attached to the general medical services and 1 1 6 (40% ) are leprosy clinics, which have been established in those areas where a general medical service does not exist yet. About 50% of the centres are accessible by car during the whole year; 32% are accessible by car during the dry season only, while 1 8 % are not accessible by car. I