Zero Transmission

Zero TRANSMISSION

We are working together to stop the transmission of leprosy

  • 2

    Every 2 minutes someone is diagnosed with leprosy

  • 1 in 10

    One in ten people diagnosed with leprosy is a child

  • 208,619

    208,619 new cases of leprosy were reported in 2018

Reaching Zero Transmission

The development of new multi-drug therapies decades ago has made leprosy easily treatable. 16 million people have been cured since 1981.

While we have tools to prevent the disease spreading, transmission rates have remained steady in recent years.  It is estimated that more than one million people will be newly diagnosed over the next five years.

Through new research and better diagnostic testing, we are working together to bring the number of people affected by leprosy worldwide down to zero.

Zero Transmission: current research and projects

Innovating to stop the transmission of leprosy: LPEP

The leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis project (LPEP) aims to introduce preventive treatment for leprosy in several pilot countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America with the purpose of reducing the risk for contact persons of newly diagnosed patients to develop leprosy.

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Towards a Global Partnership

A survey of leprosy stakeholders carried out in March-June 2017 pointed towards considerable enthusiasm for the idea of creating a Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy Transmission. The analysis report provides the foundation for the work that will take the work from idea to reality.

Read the report

We must not allow the early detection of new cases to stagnate. Proactive, early diagnosis of leprosy must remain an international and national priority, to prevent leprosy from being transmitted to children and disabilities developing

Dr Erwin Cooreman, Team Leader WHO Global Leprosy Programme

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