01696nas a2200265   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001300054653001000067653001200077653001200089653001400101653001600115653002000131653001100151653001500162653003000177100001300207245006500220856008100285300001200366490000700378050001400385520103100399       2006                            d  c2006///10aPatients10aPaper10aNigeria10aleprosy10aKnowledge10aIntegration10aHealth Services10aHealth10aGovernment10aComprehensive Health Care1 aIyor F T00a'Reverse integration' in leprosy: lessons from Mkar, Nigeria  uhttp://english.aifo.it/disability/apdrj/apdrj0106/reverseintegra-nigeria.pdf  a35 - 170 v17  aIYOR 20063 a<p>Integration of leprosy control into general health services (GHS) has gained much wider acceptance. Integration policies and efforts have usually been directed towards taking leprosy services to general health services. "Reverse integration" means bringing other health care services into existing leprosy services. This paper discusses the process of reverse integration in a missionary hospital in Nigeria with the attendant advantages. These include: accessibility of specialised services; affordability of specialised services; extended application of expert knowledge and skills; reduction in cost of training workers for leprosy work; integration of persons affected by leprosy; comprehensive health care for leprosy patients; additional sources of funds; effective utilisation of personnel and facilities; springboard for other programmes; and interest of government functionaries and philanthropists. Reverse integration will help to showcase the contribution of leprosy programmes to general health services.</p>