World Leprosy Day 2025: WHO urges Governments to focus on Leprosy elimination
New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged governments to prioritize leprosy elimination and ensure continued funding for surveillance, treatment, care, and support. The organization also called for the inclusion of those affected by leprosy in policy and decision-making processes.
Celebrated annually on the last Sunday of January, World Leprosy Day serves to raise awareness about leprosy, a neglected tropical disease, and inspire the global community to unite to eliminate it.
According to the PTI report, "As we observe World Leprosy Day 2025, we reaffirm our commitment to this year's theme: 'Unite, Act, and Eliminate Leprosy'," Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, said.
"Longstanding stigma around this disease stubbornly persists, and misinformation only adds to the challenge. The social isolation of affected persons and their families perpetuates discrimination and intensifies stigma," she said.
While significant progress has been made in reducing the burden of leprosy since the introduction of the multi-drug therapy (MDT) and the 1991 World Health Assembly resolution, challenges remain, Wazed highlighted.
In 2023, 1,82,815 new cases were reported from more than 100 countries, with 95 per cent of those concentrated in 23 global-priority countries. Alarmingly, more than 5 per cent of the new cases were reported with Grade 2 Disability (visible deformity), highlighting delays in detection.
Wazed said 5.6 per cent of the new cases were among children, with some countries reporting child rates exceeding 30 per cent, indicating ongoing transmission.
"Despite this, there are reasons for optimism," she added.
The Global Leprosy Strategy 2021-2030 has a vision of zero disease, zero disability and zero stigma and discrimination.
It was developed through a broad consultative process with all major stakeholders, including national programme managers, technical agencies, experts and persons or communities directly affected by leprosy, Wazed said.
Jordan became the first country to be verified and acknowledged by the WHO for elimination of leprosy, demonstrating what is possible with focused and concerted efforts, Wazed said. Additionally, in 2023, 56 countries reported zero new case of leprosy, a significant milestone, reports PTI.
"We can eliminate leprosy with collective, coordinated and united action. Therefore, we urge governments to prioritise leprosy elimination, and ensure sustained funding for surveillance, treatment, care and support. We also call on them to include persons affected by leprosy in policy and decision-making processes. We urge communities to combat stigma through education, inclusion and supporting those affected," Wazed said.
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