Anesvad Foundation has joined the International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations (ILEP), which brings together organizations working in more than 60 countries (more than 1,000 project sites worldwide). The federation is focused on a policy of zero transmission, zero disability, and zero discrimination. Leprosy is one of the main Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), which collectively represent the core mission of the Anesvad Foundation.
In the four decades since the introduction of multidrug therapy, the prevalence of leprosy has decreased by 95%. However, the slight downward trend in the total number of new cases over the past decade reveals the limitations of strategies that rely mainly on passive case detection and a combination of drugs.
Countries are increasingly investing in active case detection and preventive measures against leprosy. However, referral systems to address the disabling complications of the disease are often weak, and most countries do little to address the persistent physical, mental, social, and economic consequences of leprosy, including social exclusion and the loss of rights, which are closely interconnected.
Anesvad Foundation’s Contribution
As a new member of the organization, Anesvad Foundation aims to contribute its expertise in the integrated management of skin-NTDs—a heterogeneous group of diseases that includes leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, and Buruli ulcer, which present common challenges.
From the Anesvad Foundation’s perspective, the management of skin-NTDs, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), includes 20 potential areas of integration. These include active case detection, training of specialized personnel, clinical diagnosis, rehabilitation, and the management of mental health issues associated with stigma.
Leprosy
Leprosy is a systemic infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which affects the skin and the nervous system. It is transmitted through prolonged close human contact and spreads via moisture particles from the nose and mouth.
Each year, 200,000 new cases of leprosy are reported, but it is likely that many more people contract the disease without being diagnosed. In addition, it is estimated that between 3 and 4 million people have been cured of the disease but suffer from disabling after-effects, and perhaps just as many who, even without visible impairments, experience the stigma and discrimination that so often accompany the label “leprosy.”
Although leprosy exists worldwide, the majority of new cases occur in India, Brazil, sub-Saharan Africa, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
