Notwithstanding the general notion that leprosy has been eliminated at the national level from India, the deforming and disability-causing disease still seems to be very much alive and kicking, and, as per NGOs working in the field, there are more than 1.27 lakh leprosy-affected people living in about 760 leprosy colonies across India.

According to the data of the Union government’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India reported 1,07,851 new cases of leprosy in 2023-24, accounting for 57 percent of the global disease burden. During the same period, 2,363 visible disability cases were recorded, making up 25 percent of disabilities reported worldwide.

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There were 75,394 new cases reported across India in 2022.

According to estimates of the ‘Sasakawa India Leprosy Foundation’, 1.27 lakh people currently live in 762 leprosy colonies across India. The foundation’s report further states that residents in these colonies often live with families, including third-generation members, all of whom face persistent discrimination, denying them equal opportunities for education, employment, and development.

Even as the Union government launched a ‘National Leprosy Control Programme’ in 1955 and rechristened it the ‘National Leprosy Eradication Programme’ (NLEP) in 1983, which is continuing to date, work still needs to be done to achieve the target of complete elimination of leprosy from all the states in India.

India has also launched a National Strategic Plan (NSP) and Roadmap for Leprosy for 2023-27 with the aim to achieve zero transmission of leprosy by the year 2027, which would be three years before the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.3, targeted for 2030.

However, some major challenges still need to be overcome to achieve that ambitious target. These include ‘Antimicrobial Resistance’ (AMR) in leprosy treatment, organisational issues, and, crucially, the fear of the disease and the stigma still attached to it.

“The NSP provides a clear roadmap for interruption of transmission following a multi-pronged approach by strengthening leadership, commitment, and partnerships, accelerating case detection, providing quality services, prevention of disease, disabilities, stigma, discrimination and violation of human rights and by developing digital systems for NLEP,” pointed out Ashok Agarwal, CEO of ‘No Leprosy Remains’ (NLR India), an organisation pioneering in prevention therapy of leprosy, headquartered in New Delhi.

Also known as ‘Hansen Disease’, leprosy can affect people of all age groups and genders, and in 2023, it affected 6.86 per cent of children in India.

Often referred to as a ‘poor people’s disease’, as it disproportionately affects the most marginalized communities, leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by ‘Mycobacterium leprae’. It is one of the oldest known bacterial diseases.

It spreads through respiratory droplets from prolonged exposure to untreated cases, but not by touch, handshakes, or sharing food with affected persons. It is neither hereditary nor sexually transmitted.

According to healthcare experts, leprosy is completely treatable and preventable. Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT), a combination of dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine, is used for treating leprosy, and the medication is provided free of cost at all government health facilities.

Experts also point out that a single dose of Rifampicin (SDR) can prevent leprosy in close contacts, making it a key intervention in halting transmission.

“India now has a real opportunity to eliminate leprosy through consistent work over multiple years. However, it calls for all stakeholders to come together and support the affected instead of discrimination,” Sanjeeta Gawri, Lead Policy Engagement, NLR India, told The Statesman on Wednesday.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), leprosy is a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) that still occurs in more than 120 countries, with more than 200,000 new cases reported every year.

In 2022, 182 countries reported over 1.65 lakh cases of leprosy, including 174,087 new cases.

According to the WHO, most countries with high rates of new leprosy cases are in the WHO African and Southeast Asia Regions.

NTDs are a diverse group of conditions caused by a variety of pathogens — including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins — and associated with devastating health, social and economic consequences.

NTDs are most common among marginalised communities in the developing regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

It is estimated that NTDs affect more than 1 billion people, while the number of people requiring NTD interventions, both preventive and curative, is 1.6 billion.

The WHO observes ‘World Leprosy Day’ every year on the last Sunday of January, while in India, it is observed each year on 30 January, coinciding with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who spent his life working to improve the lives of leprosy-affected people by dismantling the stigma of social discrimination and untouchability.

The WHO 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.