Leprosy in the WHO African region

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The African Region faces the second-highest leprosy prevalence globally, with approximately 1 in 1,000 individuals affected.
• The region has around 480,000 registered leprosy cases, with an annual detection of about 37,000 new cases.
• A substantial percentage (25-40%) of registered cases exhibit significant physical disabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the challenges and opportunities for leprosy control in the African Region.
• To highlight the low coverage of multidrug therapy (MDT) and its contributing factors.
• To emphasize the need for integrated strategies and increased political commitment.

Main Methods:

• Review of leprosy prevalence data in the WHO African Region.
• Analysis of multidrug therapy (MDT) coverage and associated operational challenges.
• Discussion of findings from the 1989 interregional conference in Brazzaville.

Main Results:

• Multidrug therapy (MDT) benefits only about 20% of leprosy patients in the region, despite its introduction in the early 1980s.
• Operational and socioeconomic factors are identified as major barriers to widespread MDT coverage.
• Favorable trends indicate increasing political commitment in several African countries.

Conclusions:

• Reducing leprosy prevalence requires overcoming operational and socioeconomic constraints to improve MDT access.
• Coordinating resources, strengthening national capabilities, and integrating leprosy control into general health services are crucial.
• Increased political commitment and health education are vital for effective leprosy control programs.