Sri Lanka Launches 10-Year Plan to Eliminate Leprosy

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Anura Kumara Dissanayake unveiled Sri Lanka’s 10-year strategic roadmap to eliminate leprosy by 2035, during the National Leprosy Summit held in Colombo.

The summit, organized under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, brought together key stakeholders including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Sasakawa Health Foundation, reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to eradicating one of the world’s oldest and most stigmatized diseases.

Delivering the keynote address, Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa revealed that Sri Lanka currently identifies between 1,500 to 2,000 new leprosy cases annually, with 10% of those cases affecting children under the age of 10.

The goal is to build a leprosy-free Sri Lanka by 2035, said Dr. Jayatissa.

Key Focus Areas of the Roadmap:

Early detection of patients with latent symptoms to prevent transmission
Strengthening hospital systems to provide timely treatment and rehabilitation
Structured rehabilitation programs for those affected by disability due to leprosy