Archive · 23 Dec 2025
India's Leprosy Elimination Faces Challenges Despite Progress
India said leprosy was no longer a big health problem in 2005.
But every year, about 100,000 new cases are found, which is 60% of all new cases worldwide.
India also has the most new child cases, with 4,722 kids under 14 diagnosed in 2024–25.
This means every second child case globally is in India, and a new child is diagnosed every two hours.
Some states have much higher rates.
The goal is to stop leprosy in children by 2027, but it's hard because there are still many undiagnosed cases and problems with finding cases early.
Stopping leprosy in children is very important for eliminating the disease completely.
India declared leprosy elimination as a public health problem in 2005, but still reports nearly 100,000 new cases annually, 60% of the global total.
India has the highest number of new child cases, with 4,722 children under 14 diagnosed in 2024–25, indicating ongoing transmission and late diagnosis.
The national prevalence rate is 0.57 per 10,000 population, but some states have rates two to three times higher.
India's National Strategic Plan aims to stop leprosy transmission by achieving zero locally transmitted child cases for five consecutive years by 2027.
Barriers to achieving the goal include continuing transmission, undiagnosed cases, and weaknesses in early case-finding.
- Who
- India's health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO)
- What
- The ongoing challenge of leprosy elimination in India despite its declaration of elimination as a public health problem in 2005
- When
- 2005 (declaration of elimination), 2023–2027 (National Strategic Plan)
- Where
- India, with a significant number of cases in certain states
- Why
- Continuing transmission, undiagnosed cases, and weaknesses in early case-finding, particularly in children
- Leprosy Elimination Declaration
- 2005
- Annual New Cases in India
- 100,000
- Global Share of New Cases
- 60%
- New Child Cases in India (2024–25)
- 4,722
- National Prevalence Rate
- 0.57 per 10,000 population
- Grade 2 Disability in New Child Cases
- 1.2%
- National Strategic Plan Duration
- 2023–2027
- Target for Zero Child Cases
- 2027