02441nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653003300059653003000092653003000122653001200152653002000164653002100184653001100205653001000216653002300226653001200249653003100261653002600292653001700318100001300335700001500348700001400363700001400377245011300391856005800504300001100562490000700573050001600580520148100596022001402077       2012                            d  c2012 Jul-Sep10aCommunicable Disease Control10aCommunity Health Planning10aCommunity Health Services10aCulture10aData Collection10aHealth Personnel10aHumans10aIndia10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aPreventive Health Services10aSocioeconomic Factors10aStereotyping1 aJaeggi T1 aManickam P1 aWeiss M G1 aGupte M D00aStakeholders perspectives on perceived needs and priorities for leprosy control and care, Tamil Nadu, India.  uhttp://www.ijl.org.in/jul-sep/1%20T%20Jaggi%20(1).pdf  a177-840 v84  aJAEGGI 20123 a<p>Although leprosy has been declared as eliminated in India, treated patients with persisting disabilities still require care. With the shift from vertical to integrated services, questions remain about case detection and maintaining the quality of patient care. We conducted a qualitative study to clarify the perceived status of elimination, patient care and other aspects of leprosy control from the perspective of various stakeholders. We interviewed leprosy programme managers, Non-governmental organization directors, healthcare providers, patients and community leaders from Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu. Consensus endorsed the current approach to integration of leprosy in primary healthcare, but healthcare personnel acknowledged problems from shortage of medicines and failure to fill key positions. Patients were concerned about limited clinic hours, long waits and delayed treatment. Disabled patients indicated how they were troubled by stigmatization of their condition. Programme managers mentioned limited support for needed research and some emphasized the potential threat of emerging drug resistance. Although consensus supports an integrated approach for leprosy services in primary care, the relative priority of different aspects of leprosy control vary among stakeholders. Perspectivist approaches to methodologically sound operational research could guide planning for effective case detection and patient care during the post-elimination era.</p>  a0254-9395