Novartis highlights further work needed to eliminate leprosy

Novartis is marking 30 years of efforts to combat leprosy by highlighting the work that still needs to be done to wipe out the disease entirely.

Coinciding with the recent World Leprosy Day, the Novartis Foundation – which has been engaged in leprosy control activities for three decades – has stated its aim of accelerating the elimination of leprosy with a strategy to interrupt its transmission.

The global burden of leprosy has been reduced by 95 percent since the 1980s, due in large part to the widespread availability of multidrug therapies. However, the incidence of leprosy has plateaued at about 200,000 to 250,000 new diagnoses per year over the past decade.

As such, Novartis will continue to commit to its current strategy of furthering early detection and treatment, contact tracing, strengthening of surveillance systems and developing tools for faster and earlier diagnosis.

Dr Ann Aerts, head of the Novartis Foundation, said: "The last mile to eliminate leprosy will be tough, and to succeed we need greater awareness, more resources and innovation. It is important for leprosy to be put back on the global health agenda to make this happen."