Leprosy is an ancient disease which continues to remain a silent global crisis even today.
While we have made significant progress over the last four decades in tackling the disease, it continues to affect about 200,000 people every year. More than 95% of them are concentrated in 23 countries. The transmission continues at community level, as evidenced by children affected by the disease.
Left untreated, leprosy can cause disabilities. However, as we must make everyone aware, leprosy is curable.
Longstanding stigma around this disease stubbornly persists, and misinformation only adds to the challenge. The social isolation of persons affected by leprosy – and their families – perpetuates discrimination and intensifies stigma.
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.
In 2024, Jordan became the first country in the world to be verified and acknowledged by WHO for eliminating leprosy. This shows us what is achievable with the right tools, strategies, and collaborations.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the partnership between The Nippon Foundation-Sasakawa Health Foundation, and the World Health Organization in the fight against leprosy. Indeed this partnership is a tangible manifestation of this year’s theme for World Leprosy Day: “Unite, Act, and Eliminate Leprosy.”
We cannot eliminate leprosy without collective, coordinated and united action.
Therefore, we urge governments to prioritize leprosy elimination, and ensure sustained funding for surveillance, treatment, care and support. We also call on them to include persons afftected by leprosy in policy- and decision-making processes.
We urge communities to combat stigma through education, inclusion, and supporting those affected by leprosy.
We thank donors, international organizations, and academia for their efforts, and ask them to collaborate for continued research into improved diagnostics, treatments and approaches.
The end of leprosy is not just a possibility—it is within our grasp. Let’s do it together.
Thank you.