Chinese health officials on Friday published a national plan to control leprosy in response to a rising number of cases in parts of the country.

Under the plan, the Ministry of Health aims to identify a minimum 8,000 new leprosy cases in the next five years, and to eradicate the disease in Anhui and Qinghai by 2008 and in Chongqing, Guangdong and Shaanxi by 2010.

Leprosy in China has been brought under control in general, but the situation in some areas is worsening, says a ministry statement.

The government has so far provided free treatment for 500,000 leprosy patients. And there are still 6,300 leprosy patients in the country, with an annual increase of 1,600, according to statistics.

Most leprosy cases were found in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hunan and Tibet. Children accounted for 2.1 percent of new cases.

Leprosy, a bacterial illness, can be cured with a sustained year-long mixture of antibiotics, but can cause deformities and nerve damage if left untreated.

About 210,000 Chinese have recovered from leprosy, but 100,000 of them suffer from deformities.

Source: Xinhua