Leprosy (Hansen's disease)

India’s leprosy prevalence rate has fallen from 57.2 per 10,000 population in 1981 to just 0.57 in 2025.

About Leprosy

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by a bacterium, Mycobacterium Leprae. The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes.
Leprosy is categorised into 2 forms:
- Paucibacillary (PB): Few bacilli, milder symptoms, fewer lesions.
- Multibacillary (MB): High bacterial load, more extensive lesions, higher infectiousness.
Symptoms: Discoloured skin patches, lack of ability to feel touch, pressure, pain, heat and cold, muscle weakness, non-healing ulcers, deformities particularly in hands, feet and face and inability to close eyes and poor vision.
Transmission: Through droplets from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with untreated cases. It does not spread through casual contact.
Incubation period: Usually takes about 3-5 years for symptoms to appear.
Treatment: Leprosy is curable and treatment in the early stages can prevent disability.
- In 1982–83, WHO endorsed Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) (dapsone + rifampicin + clofazimine) as the standard leprosy treatment regimen.
Leprosy is a leading cause of permanent physical disability and has been classified as one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD).
It is not highly contagious. More than 85% infected population are non-infectious, and more than 99% population has natural immunity to leprosy.

World Leprosy Day is observed every year on the last Sunday of January. In India, it is observed on 30^th January every year, coinciding with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Prevalence of Leprosy

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. However, according to the latest WHO Global Leprosy Update, nearly 182,815 new leprosy cases were detected worldwide, with India accounting for 59% of the global burden of newly detected cases.
India achieved “elimination as a public health problem” (i.e. prevalence < 1 per 10,000 population) at the national level in 2005.
As of March 2025, 31 States and 638 districts have achieved a Prevalence Rate <1 per 10,000 population.
Over the years, India’s leprosy prevalence rate has decreased from 57.2 per 10,000 in 1981 to 0.69 per 10,000 in 2014–15 and further to 0.57 in 2024–25.

Govt. Initiatives for Eradication of Leprosy

Foundation Courses

Environment Science & Technology Foundation

PMF IAS Foundation Course (Science and Technology)

PMF IAS Foundation Course (Indian Society)

International Relations Foundation Course

National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP)

It is a centrally sponsored scheme under the National Health Mission.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Vision: Leprosy-free India.
Under it, funds are allocated to states and UTs based on state/UT specific Programme Implementation Plans, with a focus on local needs, priorities, and capacity. While the strategies and plans are formulated centrally, they are implemented by the States/UTs.

National Strategic Plan (NSP) and Roadmap for Leprosy 2023-2027

It aims to achieve interruption of transmission at the district level, evidenced by zero occurrence of new child cases for at least five consecutive years.
It is aligned with the Global Leprosy Strategy 2021-2030 and the WHO Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021-2030, aiming to achieve interruption of transmission of leprosy by 2030.
It focuses on interruption of transmission and achieving zero indigenous cases by accelerating case detection activities in high endemic districts and sustaining a strong surveillance system in low endemic districts.

Nikusth 2.0 Portal

It is an integrated portal for leprosy case management under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP).
It will aid in efficient data recording, analyzing and reporting of the data in the form of indicators and a real-time dashboard at centre, state, and district levels.

Global Initiatives

WHO’s Global Leprosy Strategy 2021–2030 aims to reinvigorate leprosy control efforts and avert disabilities, especially among children.
UN General Assembly Resolution on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons affected by Leprosy, 2010, calls on governments to modify or abolish existing laws that discriminate against persons affected by Leprosy and their family members.
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2007, aims to promote full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities.