2030 goal set to eliminate leprosy cases

Nation aims to reduce prevalence rate of illness to below one in 100,000

China aims to completely eliminate leprosy within its borders by 2030 and provide consistent care for its 80,000 leprosy patients, according to a guideline released last week.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. It is transmitted via droplets spread through the air and can cause nerve damage and permanent disabilities if left untreated.

In China, the number of leprosy patients plummeted by 70 percent from 2010 to 2022, and the total number of newly detected cases during the same period was around 8,500, according to a guideline released by the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and 11 other government departments on this year's World Leprosy Day on Sunday.