I

n the age of emerging infectious diseases, it is easy to assume that leprosy is a disease of the past.

And yet there were more than 232,000 new cases of leprosy reported in 2012 and leprosy continues to cause visible deformities and disabilities in approximately 13,000'€“15,000 people every year around the world.

While public health experts continue to work with policymakers, non-governmental organizations, partners and donors, the goal of a leprosy-free world is possible only with a renewed commitment to resources and trained health workers.

Leprosy is a chronic disease caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). The bacterium multiplies very slowly and the incubation period of the disease ranges from a few months to as long as 20 years. It is important to remember that leprosy is not highly communicable; it is transmitted via droplets, from the nose and mouth, during close and frequent contact with untreated cases.

Untreated, leprosy can cause progressive and permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes. Early diagnosis and treatment with multidrug therapy (MDT) are the key elements in eliminating the disease as a public health concern.

While most of the countries in the world have eliminated leprosy as a public health problem, In Indonesia almost 19,000 new leprosy patients were reported during 2012. The good news is that leprosy is curable. Treatment is available free of charge.

The social discrimination suffered by those affected by leprosy is slowly disappearing thanks to tireless efforts by governments, public health experts and partners.

The advent of MDT has been a major breakthrough in the management of leprosy. This drug combination kills the bacteria and fully cures the patient. Since 1995, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been providing free MDT for all patients in the world, initially through a drug fund provided by the Nippon Foundation and since 2000, through MDT donations provided by Novartis and the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development. Nearly 16 million people have been cured of leprosy using MDT over the past 30 years. More than 10 million people were prevented from developing visible deformities.

Leprosy programs have improved significantly due to national and subnational campaigns in most endemic countries. In 1991, the WHO'€™s governing body, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution to attain the global elimination of leprosy as a public health problem by the year 2000.

Elimination of leprosy is defined as a prevalence rate of less than 1 case per 10,000 persons at the national level. The target was achieved on time and the widespread use of MDT reduced the disease burden dramatically. In 1985, 122 countries were identified as highly endemic for leprosy and were reporting high numbers of cases, whereas today the number of such endemic countries is less than 20.

Nevertheless, pockets of high risk areas remain in countries such as Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and the United Republic of Tanzania. All these countries remain committed to further reducing the disease burden and continuing to intensify their leprosy control activities.

However, a lot of work is still needed to cover the last mile in leprosy. There is no room for complacency. A leprosy-free world is within our grasp. This is the time to renew our commitment to detect the disease early, reach the unreached and at risk populations and tackle the persistent social stigma head on.