Current situation of leprosy in tribal areas of India in the post-elimination era.

Leprosy prevalence has reduced in the past decade and most states in India have achieved the prevalence of less than 1/10,000 (the defining feature of ‘elimination of a disease as a public health problem’). However, a substantial reduction in leprosy burden has not been observed since then. The prevalence rate of leprosy across different population subgroups provides an understanding of the transmission patterns and is also a measure of the influence and efficacy of current public health initiatives. Post-2005, very few studies have determined the prevalence of leprosy in tribal regions and very little is known about the prevalence of leprosy in the tribal (Adivasi) region of India. Accounting for 8.6% or 104 million people of India’s population (census 2011), adivasis (literal meaning adi = Indigenous; vasi = inhabitant) or tribals are still considered to be highly marginalised and discriminated.