Health & Environment
India Must Prioritize Cutting Leprosy Transmission To Meet National Targets
The Hindu37m
THE BRIEF
1
Although leprosy prevalence in India has declined over the past decade, continued transmission in several pockets hampers progress toward National Strategic Plan targets.
2
In 2025-26, health workers screened over 70 crore people in endemic areas, detecting 24,367 cases, while ASHA workers confirmed 48,027 cases from suspected reports.
3
The 2025-26 National Leprosy Elimination Programme report noted that overall incidence exceeded projections by 41 percent and child incidence by 91.6 percent.