Leprosy: Ongoing Medical and Social Struggle in Vietnam

Abstract

Background: Until recently, leprosy had been prominent in 33 countries worldwide, and Vietnam was ranked among the top 14 endemic countries. Objective: The leprosy situation in Vietnam was reviewed as a sample of the worldwide ongoing medical and social struggle to assess the need for continued support for leprosy control activities and for social programs of integration of leprosy victims into the community. Methods: A search was conducted of official Vietnamese publications, World Health Organization documents, major electronic databases, and popular leprosy Web sites; as well, notes from visits to local leprosy clinics and interviews with health workers were checked. Results: Important achievements were realized through national determination and international collaboration. In contrast with the impressive performance statistics at the national level, and despite strong government efforts for leprosy control, the results obtained at the province-city and district-commune levels still exhibit deficiencies in case detection, treatment, and socioeconomic integration of leprosy victims. Conclusion: The struggle to eliminate such a complex and destructive infectious disease as leprosy does not end with the cure. Deep-seated medical and social problems remain. These problems are best solved through community-based approaches.