The victory on the global level now needs to be reproduced on every national level, as a handful of countries still need to drive the prevalence of leprosy down further. These countries are committed to stepping up leprosy control activities. The majority of the world's cases of the disease are in India. Access to information, diagnosis and treatment with multidrug therapy is essential Information campaigns about leprosy in high risk areas are crucial so that patients and their families, who were historically ostracized from their communities, are encouraged to come forward and receive treatment. The Nippon Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to support the final years of the struggle against the disease.
Treatment is free.
Discrimination must end. This must be expressed as strongly as possible in every possible place. Today, diagnosis and treatment of leprosy is easy. Essential work is being carried out to integrate leprosy services into existing, general health services. This is especially important for communities at risk for leprosy, which are often the poorest of the poor and under-served.