Rio de Janeiro, March 13, 2026 (PAHO) —The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating leprosy during the National High-Level Conference on Hansen’s disease held yesterday in Rio de Janeiro, where PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa participated in the opening of the event and delivered a presentation on the challenges of leprosy in the 21st century.
“Talking about leprosy today means recognizing that we are dealing with an ancient disease and with profound challenges of today,” said Dr. Barbosa. “This is not only an epidemiological issue—it is a test of our capacity to promote equity, human rights, and resilient health systems.”
Despite advances in treatment and health policies, leprosy remains a challenge in the Region of the Americas. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, around 30,000 cases were reported each year. The disruption of detection services during the pandemic led to an apparent decline in cases, with fewer than 20,000 reported in 2020, followed by a partial recovery in 2022.
In 2024, approximately 13% of the 172,717 new cases reported worldwide occurred in the Americas, with more than 90% concentrated in Brazil.
Other countries—including Venezuela, Colombia, Paraguay, Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic—continue to report active transmission, while Uruguay and several countries in Central America and the Caribbean report fewer than 10 cases per year, approaching interruption of transmission.
This month, Chile became the first country in the Americas—and the second in the world—to be officially verified by World Health Organization (WHO) for the elimination of leprosy.
“The uneven distribution of cases reflects deep social determinants such as poverty, limited access to health services, and structural vulnerabilities,” said Dr. Barbosa. “Transmission hotspots persist in rural areas and vulnerable urban settings and require active surveillance and strong integration with primary health care,” he added.
Stigma and human rights
The PAHO Director emphasized that eliminating the disease goes beyond detection and treatment. “Eliminating a disease is not only a technical objective. It requires political commitment and the mobilization of all actors. People affected by leprosy still face discrimination and social exclusion, which undermines their access to diagnosis, treatment, and opportunities for a dignified life.”
PAHO calls for integrating leprosy services into primary health care, ensuring universal coverage of free multidrug therapy, strengthening contact surveillance, and addressing stigma through awareness campaigns and community mobilization.
Regional and global commitment
Dr. Barbosa also highlighted that PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative—which aims to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases by 2030, including leprosy—is aligned with WHO’s global strategy “Towards Zero Leprosy.” The strategy sets progressive targets: first, interruption of transmission, measured by the absence of autochthonous cases in children under 15 years of age; and subsequently, elimination of the disease, defined as zero new autochthonous cases for at least three consecutive years after transmission has been interrupted. The strategy also promotes reducing grade-2 disabilities and eliminating stigma associated with the disease.
PAHO continues to support countries in the region to strengthen surveillance, prevention, early diagnosis, and comprehensive care for leprosy. This technical cooperation includes training health workers, actions to reduce stigma and discrimination, and strengthening capacities to manage long-term complications and support self-care among people affected by the disease, many of whom live with chronic disabilities. These efforts aim to improve their quality of life while advancing toward the interruption of transmission.
