When was the National Leprosy Control Program (National leprosy control program) launched by the Government of India?

Appeared in: MP CHO -2019 (Shift-1)

Explanation

The Government of India launched the National Leprosy Control Program (NLCP) in 1955.
The initial goal of the NLCP was to 'control' the spread of the disease, not eradicate it.
The core strategy was the 'SET' approach: Survey, Education, and Treatment.
Treatment under the NLCP was based on Dapsone monotherapy, which was the standard of care at the time.

Option B: This year marks the formation of the 'National Leprosy Organization,' a federation of voluntary bodies, not the launch of the government's national program.
Option C: This was during the pre-independence era. At this time, there was no organized national program by the Government of India for leprosy control.
Option D: This year falls after the launch of the National Leprosy Eradication Program (NLEP) in 1983. The focus in 1985 was on implementing Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) under the NLEP.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Milestones in National Health Programs of India as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the history of national health programs helps nurses appreciate the evolution of treatment strategies and public health goals, from control to eradication.
Community health nurses play a vital role in the NLEP through case finding (especially early detection in children), ensuring treatment completion (MDT), health education to reduce stigma, and managing disability prevention.
What if the question asked for the launch of the 'Eradication' program? The answer would change to 1983, which is when the NLCP was converted to the NLEP with the introduction of Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT).

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question about a key date in India's public health history.
First, identify the core subject: the 'National Leprosy Control Program' (NLCP).
Scan the options, which are all years. Your task is to link the program name to the correct launch year.
Differentiate between the 'Control' program (NLCP) and the later 'Eradication' program (NLEP). The NLCP came first.
Recall or look for the timeline of major health programs. The NLCP was an early post-independence initiative.
Select the year that corresponds to the launch of the initial control program, which is 1955.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Milestones in National Health Programs of India
Stem keywords: National Leprosy Control Program, NLCP, Government of India, launched
Lead-in keywords: When
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-275 of 550) p. 82-84

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart B (pp 202-403 of 604) p. 195-197

Practise the full MP CHO -2019 (Shift-1)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.