The number of new leprosy infections has fallen, but a higher proportion of new patients are showing severe symptoms, permanent secretary for health Narong Sahamethapat said on Wednesday.
Launching a campaign against the disease in Narathiwat province, Dr Narong said the number of new leprosy patients in Thailand had dropped from 405 in 2010 to 188 in 2014.
Dr Narong said the situation had greatly improved thanks to support and projects initiated by His Majesty the King.
However, the percentage of new patients with serious disabilities had risen from 14% in 2010 to 16% last year. For example, new patients showed up at hospitals unable to close their eyes while sleeping, or with deformed fingers and toes.
Therefore, the Ministry of Public Health had decided to provide new patients of all races with full and free treatment from Jan 16, 2015, to Jan 15, 2016, Dr Narong said. The campaign focused on migrant workers, prison inmates and people living in border areas.
Leprosy is a skin disease. He said anyone with a skin disease that persisted uncured for longer than three months should quickly see a doctor, because there were effective remedies that could prevent leprosy-based disabilities and transmission of the disease.
He said as of January this year there were 576 people registered as leprosy patients nationwide.