WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination Yohei Sasakawa met with President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto and Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin at the president’s private residence on Jan. 16, 2026. The opportunity to meet at the private residence of a head of state is rare, and the Goodwill Ambassador was grateful for the honor.
The discussion touched upon the actions of India and Brazil, the two other states that, along with Indonesia, constitute the top three leprosy-endemic countries in the world. The Goodwill Ambassador shared that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is pursuing a robust strategy accelerating case detection, digital surveillance, and post-exposure prophylaxis to reach the target of zero new cases among children by 2027. He also explained that President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva agreed to co-organize a national high-level conference on leprosy (held in Rio de Janeiro, March 12–14, 2026).
The Goodwill Ambassador welcomed President Prabowo’s agreement to hold a national conference in Indonesia as well. With this development, full-scale efforts towards leprosy elimination in all three major endemic countries are expected to move forward with sustained momentum.
The Goodwill Ambassador also conveyed his intention to increase the frequency of his visits to Indonesia to six times a year, a proposal to which the President gave his full support.
On Jan. 15, 2026, the Goodwill Ambassador joined Minister of Health Budi at the Ministry of Health for a panel discussion titled “Ending Leprosy Without Stigma.” The Minister told the audience, “Leprosy is not a curse. This disease is caused by bacteria, is very difficult to transmit, and takes a long time to spread. Most importantly, leprosy can be cured with medication.”
The Minister also pointed out that when leprosy is stigmatized, those with symptoms may experience fear or shame and hesitate to reveal their condition, resulting in a delay in the start of treatment. He stressed that the provision of accurate information is the key to breaking down stigma and accelerating the fight against leprosy in local communities.
Roundtable discussion with Queen of the Belgians
On the morning of Jan. 29, 2026, in Brussels, before the launch event for the Global Appeal to End Stigma and Discrimination against Persons Affected by Leprosy, the Goodwill Ambassador – together with a delegation that included persons affected by leprosy from India, Indonesia, and Brazil – took part in a roundtable discussion with Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of the Belgians. The Goodwill Ambassador drew attention to the ongoing reality of new infections and human rights violations around the world. He asked for the support of the international community and the Queen to eradicate discrimination through education and the dissemination of correct knowledge.
A message from the Queen was later read out at the launch event by Dr. Jean-Pierre Baron Schenkelaars, former President of the Damien Foundation: “I warmly welcome the Global Appeal 2026, which unites key actors around dignity, inclusion, and the fight against leprosy-related stigma. By linking health, education, and equality, this Global Appeal reflects the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals and deserves my full support.”
