MUMBAI, Nov. 2 -- The Maharashtra government has declared leprosy a notifiable disease, making it mandatory for all healthcare providers to report every diagnosed case within two weeks to district health authorities and municipal health offices. "The move aims to strengthen surveillance, ensure early detection and prevent disabilities caused by delayed treatment," said an official from the state health department. As per the new directive, doctors, pathologists, and health institutions, both public and private, must maintain case records and ensure timely administration of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to close contacts of patients. "Early diagnosis and completion of treatment remain critical to cutting transmission and reducing Grade 2 deformities," they said. Officials said the decision was part of the state's target to achieve a 'Leprosy-Free Maharashtra by 2027'. Currently, the state has 13,010 patients under treatment and this year reported 7,863 new cases till September 2025. In 2023-24, it had recorded 20,001 new cases, compared to 15,695 in 2015-16. Experts say the rise reflects intensified detection drives rather than a fresh outbreak. "Whatever policies are formed are based on available data, mainly from government and corporation hospitals and primary health centres," said Uday Thakar, executive committee member of the Kushtarog Nivaran Samiti in Panvel. "When it comes to private treatment, there is no clarity on who the patients are or where they are getting treated, so the total number of leprosy cases cannot be accurately calculated. About two or three years ago, the Tamil Nadu government made leprosy a notifiable disease, and following that, the Centre began insisting on it as well. Now it has finally been notified." Thakar said that once the system was implemented, a clearer picture would emerge in the next three to four months of the data from each area. "An SOP will also be developed to guide private practitioners on how to report cases," he said. "Once all this information is collected, we will finally be able to understand the true extent of the infection. Naturally, this will make it easier for the government to analyse the data, and frame policies that address everyone, not just those treated under public health services." The notification comes shortly after the government approved a threefold hike in grants for NGOs managing leprosy hospitals and rehabilitation centres, the first revision in over 13 years. Under a government resolution issued on August 22, the grant for 13 private hospitals treating leprosy has been raised from Rs 2,200 to Rs 6,600 per bed per month while 16 rehabilitation homes will now receive Rs 6,000 per bed per month, up from Rs 2,000 earlier. Officials had said the fund would support food, medicines not provided by the government, clothing, hospital furniture and administrative expenses....