In February 2026, Lepra’s nearby referral centre carried out a field visit in Babu’s village. Staff and volunteers travelled door-to-door educating people on the symptoms of leprosy. It was then that the team noticed discoloured skin patches on Babu’s cheeks and hands.
Referred for a clinical assessment, Babu was diagnosed with leprosy but fortunately, as the disease was detected and treated early, he has not developed any disabilities.
Babu and his family were given advice and emotional support to help them come to terms with his diagnosis and understand the importance of completing the full course of multidrug therapy. If treatment is not adhered to, symptoms can return.
Staff also provided awareness and health education to Babu’s wider family and community members about leprosy. They explained that the disease is curable, early detection prevents disability, and that people receiving treatment are not contagious. This helped to lessen potential prejudice and discrimination that many people face..
The family will receive regular follow-ups and monitoring to aid Babu’s recovery.
Babu was one of three children diagnosed by the centre in February. The presence of child cases denotes recent infection, a sign of ongoing community transmission, and indicates the need for increased efforts to detect cases early.
Read more about how Lepra’s health provision in Assam is breaking the cycle of health inequality by enabling early diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and ongoing support.