History of TB and Leprosy Control In KenyaThe History of TB and Leprosy control in Kenya stretches back to before the Second World War when leprosy patients were maintained in small “leper settlements” in Kakamega, Lamu, Malindi and Tumbe (2). In 1948, the first attempts were made to treat leprosy systematically. Between 1951 and 1957, the Alupe Leprosarium was built in Busia District in Western Province. In 1956, the NTP was created, providing TB control activities that included diagnosis, treatment and occasional mass campaigns using miniature chest X-rays. In the early 1970s, the Government of Kenya with the assistance of the Netherlands Leprosy Relief Association (NLRA) initiated a number of leprosy control projects: the West Kenya and Coast Leprosy Control Scheme and the Meru and Kitui Leprosy Projects. In 1976, these projects were brought together in the national leprosy control programme (NLP). The control of TB was carried out by the NLP until 1980 when the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Program (NLTP) was established, with specialized staff at national, provincial and district level. The role of these staff was to provide technical guidance and supervision of TB and leprosy control activities. Then as now, TB diagnostic and treatment services were delivered within the primary health-care system, at hospital, health centre and dispensary level.
Contact Us