Context:

The World Health Organisation (WHO) celebrated the World Leprosy Day on 26th January this year.

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• The theme for World Leprosy Day 2025 is "Unite. Act. Eliminate."
• The theme is a call to action aiming to raise awareness of leprosy, highlight the challenges faced by persons affected by leprosy, and inspire collaborative action to eliminate leprosy.

About World Leprosy Day 

• It is observed annually on the last Sunday of January. However, in India, it is observed on 30th January every year, coinciding with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. 
• The aim of World Leprosy Day is to create awareness against the stigma attached to the disease and to promote the dignity of people affected by the disease.
• The day was established in 1954 by French journalist Raoul Follereau. 

Leprosy (Hansen disease)

Leprosy, also known as Hansen disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused mainly by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. 

The disease primarily affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes.

Leprosy is known to occur at all ages ranging from early infancy to very old age. 

Leprosy is not inherited but is 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). 

However, leprosy is curable and treatment in the early stages can prevent disability. It is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT).

• MDT is a combination of three drugs – Rifampicin, clofazimine and dapsone. 

It is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) which still occurs in more than 120 countries, with more than 200 000 new cases reported every year.

Elimination of leprosy as a public health problem (defined as prevalence of less than 1 per 10 000 population) was achieved globally in the year 2000 and in most countries by the year 2010.

Key Initiative for Leprosy Eradication in India

• National Strategic Plan (NSP) & Roadmap for Leprosy (2023-27): Launched in January 2023, it aims to achieve zero transmission of leprosy by 2027 which is three years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 of 2030. 
• India has achieved the elimination of leprosy as a public health problem as per WHO criteria of less than 1 case per 10,000 population at the National level in 2005.
• National Leprosy Control Programme (NLCP): Launched by the Government of India in 1954- 55, this program marked the beginning of organized efforts to control leprosy in the country. 
• National Leprosy Eradication Programme: It was introduced in 1983 to reduce the quantum of infection in the population and a reduction in infective sources, thus breaking the chain of disease transmission.