Leprosy Eradication

Reference:

On the occasion of Leprosy Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called upon the governments of various countries to give priority to leprosy elimination and also include people affected by leprosy in the policy making process.

World Leprosy Day 2025

• Event: Last Sunday of January every year
  • In the year 2025, World Leprosy Day was celebrated on 26 January.
  • In India, it is celebrated every year on 30 January along with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Objective: To raise awareness about leprosy, highlight the challenges faced by people affected by it and inspire collaborative action to eliminate it.
  • Theme for the year 2025: "Unite. Act. Eliminate." A Global Imperative
• Origin: The celebration of this day was started in the year 1954 by French writer and philanthropist Raoul Follero.
• Significance: This international day is an important occasion to honor people suffering from leprosy, raise awareness about the disease and call for an end to the stigma and discrimination related to leprosy.

About Leprosy:

• What is it: It is a chronic infectious disease.
  • It is also known as Hansen's disease.
• Causative agent: Caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis
• Transmission: Although leprosy is not very contagious, it can spread through repeated contact with particles from the nose and mouth of a person suffering from untreated leprosy.

Effects of Leprosy:

• Sensory Nerve Damage: When sensory nerves are damaged, they cannot feel pain. This makes the sides of the hands and feet sensitive to burns and injuries, which can lead to loss of fingers and toes.
• Eye Nerve Damage: Leprosy can affect the eyes, causing blindness due to damage to the optic nerve or swelling in the iris.
•  Motor Nerve Damage: Damage to motor nerves causes paralysis-like conditions.
• Peripheral nervous system: Damage to the peripheral nervous system has a negative effect on blood pressure, digestion and other functions in the body.

Treatment:

• This disease is treated by multi-drug therapy (MDT) which consists of a combination of antibiotics.
  • The currently recommended treatment includes three drugs (dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine).

Status of leprosy in India:

• About 53% of global leprosy cases are in India. Out of more than 700 districts in India, 125 districts still report a large number of leprosy cases.
• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India's target is 'Zero Leporacy' by the year 2030. However, the Indian government aims to make India ‘leprosy free’ by the year 2027, three years ahead of the SDGs.
• As per official figures, there are still 750 leprosy settlements in India which are isolated from the mainstream society.
• Suggestions: Experts stressed the need for collective efforts to eliminate the stigma and discrimination associated with leprosy.
  • It is important to establish community-based rehabilitation to eliminate this discrimination and assist the affected individuals.

Leprosy Elimination Programme in India:

• National Leprosy Elimination Programme: This programme was launched in the year 1983. Its strategy focuses on controlling the disease by reducing leprosy infection in the population and breaking the transmission chain.
  • Vision: “Leprosy Free India”
  • Mission: To provide free quality leprosy services to all sections of the population through an integrated healthcare system and to provide post-treatment disability care
• Leprosy Elimination Target 2027: The Government in collaboration with various development partners has set a target to reduce the number of new leprosy cases by 50% in five years by the year 2023.
  • This strategy provides direction for prioritizing the National Strategic Plan and Leprosy Roadmap 2023-2027 (NSP) that need to be implemented by all stakeholders.
• NIKUSTH 2.0: To maintain robust leprosy case finding and surveillance systems.
  • Also, the launch of National Guidelines for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Surveillance in Leprosy highlights the country’s commitment to eliminate the disease.