A world without leprosy is a public health and human rights imperative
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Shobha Shukla, Bobby Ramakant – CNS
Contd from previous issue
Based on the impact of MDT, a World Health Assembly resolution in 1991 set the goal of eliminating leprosy as a public health problem at the global level by the year 2000, with elimination defined as a disease prevalence of less than 1 case per 10,000 population. This was duly achieved, and by 2010, all but a handful of countries had eliminated leprosy as a public health problem at the national level.
The number of leprosy patients worldwide has fallen from around 5 million in the 1980s to less than 200,000 new cases reported each year today,” said Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination and Chairperson of The Nippon Foundation, Japan, in his message to mark World Leprosy Day 2025.
Sasakawa added: “But leprosy still exists… there are people in some countries without access to desperately needed treatment. There are people living with disabilities caused by leprosy who need lifelong support, and many people affected by leprosy and their families still face discrimination and margina- lisation based on old stereotypes and superstitions.
Fear of discrimination makes some people reluctant to seek treatment. Others are misdiagnosed because health workers do not recognise the symptoms of leprosy early enough, and their condition worsens. Still others do not receive appropriate treatment, especially for painful and potentially fatal leprosy reactions. We must work harder to ensure that health systems are able to deal appropriately with each patient, and that health workers and the general public are aware of leprosy. We must not allow neglect, ignorance or indifference to get in the way. On World Leprosy Day 2025, let’s unite under the WHO’s banner “Towards Zero Leprosy” and work together to end discrimination and ensure that everyone affected by leprosy receives the treatment and support they need. We must not forget leprosy.”
Agrees Dr Takahiro Nanri, President of Sasakawa Health Foundation and Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative: “Unfortunately people affected with leprosy and their family members are still facing a lot of stigma and discrimination. We need to end all forms of leprosy-related stigma and discrimination. We will continue to issue the Global Appeal to end it until we are able to realise our vision of having a world where no one is suffering from leprosy - and a world where Global Appeal is no longer needed."
Raise awareness about leprosy to “Unite. Act. Eliminate.”
According to the WHO, leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae (also known as Mycobacterium leproma-tosis). The disease affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. Left untreated, the disease may cause progressive and permanent disabilities. The bacteria are transmitted via droplets from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with untreated cases.
The disease does not spread through casual contact (like shaking hands or hugging, sharing meals or sitting next to each other). The patient stops transmitting the disease upon initiation of treatment. Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT). Leprosy is reported from all the six WHO regions; most annual new case detections are from South-East Asia Region.
Leprosy occurs in more than 120 countries, with around 200,000 new cases reported every year. The reduction in the number of new cases has been gradual. As per data of 2023, Brazil, India and Indonesia continue to report more than 10,000 new cases, while 12 other countries (Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Somalia, Sri Lanka and the United Republic of Tanzania) each reported 1000–10,000 new cases.
Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant lead the editorial at CNS (Citizen News Service) and are on the board of Global Antimicrobial Resistance Media Alliance (GAMA). CNS is an official media partner of AIDS 2024. Follow them on twitter @Shobha1Shukla, @BobbyRamakant
Shared under Creative Commons (CC)
Contd from previous issue
Based on the impact of MDT, a World Health Assembly resolution in 1991 set the goal of eliminating leprosy as a public health problem at the global level by the year 2000, with elimination defined as a disease prevalence of less than 1 case per 10,000 population. This was duly achieved, and by 2010, all but a handful of countries had eliminated leprosy as a public health problem at the national level.
The number of leprosy patients worldwide has fallen from around 5 million in the 1980s to less than 200,000 new cases reported each year today,” said Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination and Chairperson of The Nippon Foundation, Japan, in his message to mark World Leprosy Day 2025.
Sasakawa added: “But leprosy still exists… there are people in some countries without access to desperately needed treatment. There are people living with disabilities caused by leprosy who need lifelong support, and many people affected by leprosy and their families still face discrimination and margina- lisation based on old stereotypes and superstitions.
Fear of discrimination makes some people reluctant to seek treatment. Others are misdiagnosed because health workers do not recognise the symptoms of leprosy early enough, and their condition worsens. Still others do not receive appropriate treatment, especially for painful and potentially fatal leprosy reactions. We must work harder to ensure that health systems are able to deal appropriately with each patient, and that health workers and the general public are aware of leprosy. We must not allow neglect, ignorance or indifference to get in the way. On World Leprosy Day 2025, let’s unite under the WHO’s banner “Towards Zero Leprosy” and work together to end discrimination and ensure that everyone affected by leprosy receives the treatment and support they need. We must not forget leprosy.”
Agrees Dr Takahiro Nanri, President of Sasakawa Health Foundation and Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative: “Unfortunately people affected with leprosy and their family members are still facing a lot of stigma and discrimination. We need to end all forms of leprosy-related stigma and discrimination. We will continue to issue the Global Appeal to end it until we are able to realise our vision of having a world where no one is suffering from leprosy - and a world where Global Appeal is no longer needed."
Raise awareness about leprosy to “Unite. Act. Eliminate.”
According to the WHO, leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae (also known as Mycobacterium leproma-tosis). The disease affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. Left untreated, the disease may cause progressive and permanent disabilities. The bacteria are transmitted via droplets from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with untreated cases.
The disease does not spread through casual contact (like shaking hands or hugging, sharing meals or sitting next to each other). The patient stops transmitting the disease upon initiation of treatment. Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT). Leprosy is reported from all the six WHO regions; most annual new case detections are from South-East Asia Region.
Leprosy occurs in more than 120 countries, with around 200,000 new cases reported every year. The reduction in the number of new cases has been gradual. As per data of 2023, Brazil, India and Indonesia continue to report more than 10,000 new cases, while 12 other countries (Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Somalia, Sri Lanka and the United Republic of Tanzania) each reported 1000–10,000 new cases.
Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant lead the editorial at CNS (Citizen News Service) and are on the board of Global Antimicrobial Resistance Media Alliance (GAMA). CNS is an official media partner of AIDS 2024. Follow them on twitter @Shobha1Shukla, @BobbyRamakant
Shared under Creative Commons (CC)