The World Health Organisation said that access to treatment for leprosy was essential to global efforts to eliminate the disease.
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‎WHO, in a statement, said that it would spotlight partnership and progress ahead of World Leprosy Day, to be observed on January 25.
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‎According to the statement, leprosy is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae and is among the oldest diseases known to humanity.
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‎”The disease predominantly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. ”Left untreated, the disease may cause progressive and permanent disabilities and cause stigma and social isolation. However, the disease can be cured with multidrug therapy,” it said.
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‎The statement said that efforts to eliminate leprosy have led to reductions in the number of new cases in many areas; of the 188 countries, areas, or territories that submitted data in 2024, 55 reported zero cases.
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‎”But still 172,717 new cases were detected worldwide and reported to WHO in the same year. ”Many partners, including pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis, have been strong supporters of efforts to eliminate leprosy. WHO has collaborated with Novartis since 2000 to provide MDT and clofazimine, free of cost, to all leprosy patients worldwide,” it said.
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‎‎It said that the  partnership remained one of the most sustained pharmaceutical donation programmes in global health. ‎According to it, marking 25 years of partnership, WHO and Novartis have extended a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for an additional five years (2026−2030).
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‎It said that the extension made provision for the continued supply of MDT and also included funding for the procurement and distribution of single-dose rifampicin for post-exposure prophylaxis.
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‎Jeremy Farrar, WHO assistant director-general for Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care, said that the unwavering commitment of partners like Novartis over the past quarter-century has been foundational to the progress made against leprosy.
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(NAN)