On Nov. 6 and 7, the Sri Lanka National Leprosy Conference “Join Hands to End Leprosy” was held at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo. The conference was jointly organized by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health, the Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative, and the World Health Organization. Sri Lanka’s head of state and government, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, attended.

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media, informed attendees that while Sri Lanka successfully eliminated leprosy as a public health problem in 1995, approximately 1,500 to 2,000 new leprosy cases are detected annually, with about 10% of these being children. He stated that the current administration will implement a systematic program to make Sri Lanka a leprosy-free country by 2035.

During technical sessions, presenters shared details of the country’s current situation, examples of regional practices, and research findings. Discussions focused on how to eliminate discrimination and stigma, to involve persons affected by leprosy, to strengthen medical systems, to interrupt the chain of infection, and to utilize research outcomes.

A roadmap outlining the government’s strategy to achieve elimination (interruption of transmission) in Sri Lanka by 2035 was announced, and an action plan and enhanced cooperation mechanisms were confirmed.

WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination Yohei Sasakawa expressed respect for the government’s continuing efforts to conduct screening, diagnosis, treatment, and awareness campaigns in collaboration with district and regional health authorities despite challenging circumstances. He also commended the cooperation of organizations of persons affected by leprosy for working to eliminate the disease and associated stigma and discrimination. He further expressed his conviction that this national conference will serve as a catalyst to further advance efforts toward zero leprosy. He called for everyone to join forces to realize a future where those who have experienced the disease and their children can have hope, emphasizing that a world free of leprosy is not just a dream.

The Goodwill Ambassador also met with around 35 representatives of organizations of persons affected by leprosy, where he heard directly about the challenges that they face in Sri Lanka. He shared knowledge about the experiences of persons affected by leprosy in other countries, leading to discussion about common challenges and potential solutions.