Editorial: Leprosy elimination: track record and prospects

In 1991 the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem by the year 2000. Elimination was defined as a decrease in prevalence to less than 1/10000 population at national level. A global elimination strategy was formulated with efforts stepped up in 1995 in the form of Leprosy Elimination Campaigns and Special Action Projects for the Elimination of Leprosy. Although this WHO-orchestrated leprosy elimination initiative has registered impressive achievements the activities have rendered leprosy surveillance data uninterpretable. Little is known about what is happening to the incidence of leprosy and whether the global elimination strategy is having the intended effect of reducing infection transmission in endemic communities. However there is indication that the elimination objective has been achieved in 98 of the 122 countries considered endemic in 1985. In this connection WHO is fostering a sequel to the elimination initiative in the form of the Global Alliance for the Elimination of Leprosy.