Global leprosy strategy 2016-2020: Accelerating towards a leprosy-free world.

The Global Leprosy Strategy 2016-2020 “Accelerating towards a leprosy-free world” was developed through a series of consultations with various stakeholders during 2014 and 2015. Inputs were provided by national leprosy programmes, technical agencies, independent leprosy experts, public health experts, funding agencies and representatives of affected patients and communities.

The strategy is built around three major pillars: (i) strengthen government ownership and partnerships; (ii) stop leprosy and its complications; and (iii) stop discrimination and promote inclusion. Its goal is to further reduce the global and local leprosy burden, thereby aiming for zero children with leprosy-affected disabilities, a reduction of new patients diagnosed with leprosy-related deformities to less than one per million population and a repeal of all laws that allow discrimination of leprosy patients.

The strategy was endorsed by the WHO Technical Advisory Group on leprosy.