By 2035 we want to see zero transmission of leprosy; we will do everything we can so that by 2035, children can be born without being at risk of leprosy because it is no longer being transmitted.

Around 200,000 people have been diagnosed with leprosy every year since the latter part of the 20th century and the introduction of Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) treatment. The introduction of MDT saw a big drop in the number of new cases of leprosy diagnosed each year, but that drop in numbers has levelled out due to limited government ownership and declining leprosy expertise.

We're determined to bring the number of new cases down so that it reaches zero by 2035.

There are 704 leprosy endemic districts in the countries where The Leprosy Mission works. To interrupt transmission, it is vital that we target these endemic districts and adopt an approach that combines multiple tactics. This requires us to work in partnership to conduct active case finding, contact tracing, targeted community awareness-raising, and more. Government ownership to detect and provide treatment is also required to ensure the breadth of reach needed; we, therefore, provide our technical support and identify ways to promote health system integration where possible.

We have a leading role to play in tackling the decline of leprosy expertise and will identify ways to do this, including utilising new technology options for supporting primary and secondary healthcare workers. TLM also has a strong record in leprosy research. We will utilise our field presence to develop, investigate and trial research innovations related to understanding and reducing transmission, early diagnosis, monitoring relapse and anti-microbial resistance.

Disability is not an inevitable consequence of leprosy, but people continue to be affected by it. In fact, leprosy is the world's leading cause of preventable disability. Limited government ownership of leprosy care, complications management, and prevention of disability services is compounded by declining leprosy expertise. This means that people are not getting the support they need in order to prevent and care for leprosy-related disabilities.

We know that, in recent years rehabilitation has been neglected within the leprosy sector and there has always been inadequate attention to inner wellbeing issues. This has to change.

One of The Leprosy Mission's strengths is our experience in providing disability-related services (both in hospitals and in the community) and in supporting community-based rehabilitation and home-based self-care. We support governments and other health partners in ensuring that neuritis and reactions are detected early and managed properly and that people affected by leprosy have access to services for leprosy complications (such as ulcer care, eye care, and reconstructive surgery). We work at the community level to promote models of self-care that empower people to manage their impairments.

Mental illness, especially depression, is among the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. For people affected by leprosy, the probability and impact of facing a mental health problem is high, which is why we are determined to increase our ability to know what to look for, how to support, and where to refer them for professional help.