GPZL implementation plan workshop

The Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy (GPZL) hosted a meeting on 13-14 January in Amsterdam to gather input from partner organisations on their work with endemic countries.

This was an important and inspiring event. GPZL was launched two years ago and has achieved most of its first-stage objectives. It is now time to move into the ongoing operational phase where one of the main tasks is to form National Partnerships for Zero Leprosy and work with them towards achievable zero leprosy objectives.

Eighteen persons from ILEP Member associations were among the 34 attendees. There was also a strong presence from Novartis as well as from national programmes, WHO, people’s organisations and the GPZL Secretariat. Working in small and large group discussion sessions, participants shared their core values and hopes for GPZL. The meeting’s main objectives were the following:

  1. To develop criteria which GPZL can use to select which countries it will aim to work in during the coming years. This includes five countries in 2020 and at least 30 by 2030. GPZL is already being approached by more countries than it can work with in the short term, so criteria are needed to ensure a fair, equitable and representative selection process.
  2. To create implementation plans for the preparation and implementation phases of Zero Leprosy partnerships in-country. This involved three steps:
    • Specifying what key actions are needed in each of these phases;
    • Identifying the main strengths and potential contributions of each of the partners; and
    • ‘Mapping’ the potential contributions to the key actions

More details of the workshop and a listing of ideas generated can be seen at here.