･ Promote community participation in early detection of leprosy and prevention of def ormities.
･ Involve communities in the rehabilitation of PALs.
･ Enhance the skills of the communities by providing audiovisual literature and other simple publications which leprosy illiterate or semiliterate people in villages and urban slums can understand. Involve local communities in the preparation of such materials.
･ Promote income generation activities for PALs which make them independent entre preneurs.
･ Training programmes which make PALs employees should be discouraged in favour of self employment.
･ The PALs Should be provided with social skills to participate in community activities.
･ Professionals and workers in leprosy field should undergo training in social aspects of leprosy.
･ Team training involving local community members.
･ Special training to elicit community participation, community organization and various methods of collecting information and planning with the community.
･ Training in community methods - especially adult learning.
･ Setting up demonstration projects in various countries and regions.
･ Special training in participatory research, managing change and personal development.
･ The new innovative ideas should be tried by NGOs and should be applied by the governments only after NGOs have succeeded.
･ All the laws and traditions that are oppressive to the PALs and rob them of their dignity must be repeated on a priority basis.
Ultimately the well being of PALs should be the only objective and this well being depends not so much on income alone, it depends upon the dignity with which he or she lives full lives in his or her community.
R.S. Arole, Comprehensive Rural Health Project, Maharashtra, INDIA
