Maya Yadav of Maharajganj Municipality-5, Etrol saw a small scar on her right arm and went for treatment. The doctor told him that he had leprosy. Like him, Ramasumiran Kewat of Khadaina also had red blisters on his body. When he went for treatment, he was infected with leprosy.

Last June, 10 leprosy patients were identified during a skin disease treatment camp in Udaipur here. Then ward no. A 3-day search operation was conducted in 5 out of 7 villages. 5 more leprosy patients were found. Contract tracing done . 3 more patients were found. Gradually suspicious patients started coming to the health post on their own . District Health Office Tuberculosis Officer Mohammad Irfan said that 31 leprosy patients were found in two weeks. "We were surprised ourselves," he said, "there are so many leprosy patients in one ward in the whole country."

Since the government did not pay attention to the leprosy prevention program after federalization, now the patients are increasing. On January 5, 2066, the government of Nepal announced that leprosy is not a public health problem and has been resolved. Now Kapilvastu has become the district with the highest number of leprosy patients.

Patients have been increasing here for 4 years . In the last year 080/81, 2.7 percent was found to be less than one patient per 10,000 population. 2.4 percent in 079/80, 1.7 percent in 078/79 and 1.2 percent in 077/78. In the

district, 188 new patients were found in 080/81, 167 new patients in 079/80 and 122 new patients in 078/79. 2 thousand 706 new patients were found in 080/81 in 12 districts of Lumbini Province. There are less than one percent of patients per 10,000 in the province. In the province, there are the most patients here. 10/12 lepers of Kapilvastu take medicine from Lumbini Regional Hospital, Butwal. If their number is added, the number of patients will increase. 

"The situation was under control for a few years after it was announced that leprosy had been eradicated in Nepal," said officer Mohammad Irfan. He said, "Thick pimples are shown to private clinics as normal," he said, "which made the problem even worse."

'The stigma, religious prejudice and superstition have taken root in the society,' said Aheb Prabha Paudel, a senior at the Udaipur health post, 'that is why the leprosy patient was hiding.' She told that awareness is necessary because of moving. 

In the district, the highest number of patients per 10,000 is 7.59 percent in Maharajganj municipality. In all the local levels here, there are more than one percent of leprosy patients per 10,000.

Some people don't even want to open up that the society knows about their disease . The trend of not going to get treatment due to poverty and poverty is increasing here . Therefore, patients are increasing. Leprosy tends not to go to the hospital unless there is a serious problem. Doctors say that if you don't go to the hospital for a long time, the disease will become complicated and the limb may be broken.

After the health institution went to the local level, the search rate of patients is zero . It is said that the trained manpower could not be effective without searching for the sick when they go to their places in their home provinces.

Organizations including the World Health Organization have also stopped supporting leprosy. The ministry has also canceled the leprosy division. However, the problem is increasing and getting worse. The campaign to make the country free of leprosy by 2020 was limited only to Kazag. Now again a new target has been made within 2030 . Health workers say that the government is not making leprosy a priority even if it is working with a 10-year strategy. Fairmate and The Leprosy Mission are working for leprosy in the district. However, the problem is increasing because the work of these charity organizations is not effective.

'Women are forced to do housework,' said Aheb Keshav Ghimire, a senior at the Singhokhor health center, 'the problem is increasing due to the tendency not to come for treatment until the disease is cured.' . He said that the problem is increasing due to not paying attention to the patient's health until it becomes a problem to walk and work. 

The germs of leprosy gradually affect the skin and affect the nerves by causing the skin to become thick and folds appear. Touching the wrists makes this disease undetectable and weakens the muscles . Irfan, the Tuberculosis Officer of the District Health Office, said that the number is increasing as the number of patients comes in contact with health institutions only when they are physically ugly and have problems working. "Symptoms appear within 2 to 5 years of the disease," he said, "and then it affects badly."

Due to the open border with India, health workers say that leprosy prevention is a problem and a challenge in the Terai district. They say that the number of patients is increasing due to patients who migrate from hilly areas and patients who return after working in the Indian market . Recently, the Leprosy Prevention Program (LPEP) has been launched to prevent people who are in contact with leprosy patients from contracting the disease. As part of the program, 8 families around the houses where new patients were found are also checked for the disease. Although this program is effective, it is becoming difficult to continue due to lack of budget.

To cure the disease transmitted by micro bacterium leprae, regular medicine should be taken for 6 months to 1 year depending on the condition. In the district, 61 percent of leprosy patients take medicine for one year. 4.27 percent of the patients are disabled. MB is given to severe patients and PB to normal patients. A non-itchy and scaly rash appears. Gradually the cells of the body are killed, limbs are broken and the patient becomes crippled. If the disease is diagnosed and treated in time, the body will not be dismembered. 

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease. Medical Officer of Kapilvastu Hospital, Dr. Mukesh Chaudhary said. "However, this disease does not spread if you touch or shake hands," he said, "In about 80 percent of cases, this disease gets better on its own, while about 20 percent of people with weak immunity need treatment."