National Workshop on Leprosy Management Information System took place in Hefei City, Anhui Province

On April 22-25, 2010, National Workshop on Leprosy Management Information System (LEPMIS) was hold in Heifei city of Anhui Province. The workshop was organized by the National Center for Leprosy Control, China CDC (NCLC) and financially supported by the Netherlands Leprosy Relief (NLR). A total number of 54 leprosy managers at provincial level from 29 provinces (Shanxi, Neimenggu and Tibet were absent) and staff of NCLC were invited to attend the workshop.

The objectives of the workshop were: 1) To study and discuss the essential information need to be collected from LEPMIS; 2) To clear up “the database of the leprosy cases from 1949 to 2009”.

Prof. Zhang Guocheng, Deputy Director General of Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & the NCLC, made a speech on the opening ceremony. He first introduced the history of the leprosy surveillance activities. The previous general of leprosy workers have worked hard in leprosy data collection for the purpose of policy making as well as planning. The database is a very useful tool for policy makers to make the decision. In recent years, more and more young people join in the leprosy programme. In order to connect and inherit the leprosy database, the Leprosy Management Information System (LEPMIS) had been initially established with supports from MOH, NLR and Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science (IOD). Prof. Zhang sincerely hoped every representative should provide good comments and advice to the LEPMIS based on their daily experiences,. Prof. Chen Xiangshen, Deputy Director General of the National Center for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, China CDC (NCSTD) a senor epidemiologist in NCLC & NCSTD) was invited to attend the workshop and introduce the experience and achievement of leprosy recording and reporting system in the 1990s. He mentioned that we have a fantastic foundation to build LEPMIS and use it to improve the quality of leprosy control programme and server leprosy patients indirectly or directly. And the result of LEPMIS should be fruitful. Mr. Luo Yaowu, Head of Department for Disease Control in Anhui Provincial Health Bureau, Dr. Li Yanqing, Director General of Anhui Provincial Institute of Dermatology also presented in the meeting and made speeches.

The workshop was chaired by Dr. Yan Liangbin and Prof. Shen Jianpin. Dr. Yu Meiwen, Coordinator of LEPMIS, facilitated the workshop with the help of Mr. Zhu Bokun, a Software Engineer of the IOD. After 2 days’ strenuous and efficient discussion, we studied and discussed each structure and the detail information of the LEPMIS with the designer’s explanation. A lot of beneficial suggestions have been accepted.

This National Workshop on Leprosy Management Information System (LEPMIS) came to a satisfactory outcome, full of each representation’s nice expectation. The outcome will be used for revising LEPMIS in the coming days.