Uganda eliminated leprosy as a public health problem in 1994, a result of combined efforts by health authorities in the country. However, over the years, registered cases of this neglected tropical disease have gradually increased from 121 cases in 2017 to 518 cases reported in 2022.  

Recognizing this increment, the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease, Uganda developed and launched a Zero Leprosy roadmap in October 2023, an initiative to integrate comprehensive care for leprosy into existing healthcare services.  

Minsa Bakimenze, a resident of Kagoma, Uganda, shares her experience of the fight against leprosy. She remembers feeling the sting of poisonous ants on the soles of her feet and palms of her hands. A few months later, her condition deteriorated, with swelling in her legs, rashes, and sores that resisted healing for years.  

"I got my first wound when a metal object pierced my foot. Despite medical treatment, the wound persisted for three years without healing. This further worsened when I had swelling and numbness in my hands and legs, as well as nail loss,” Mensa declares. "I had to wear specialized shoes with straps, to manage my condition,” she recalls.  

With pressure from colleagues to get proper treatment and further medical investigations at Mulago Regional Referral Hospital (RRH) in Kampala, Mensa was diagnosed with Leprosy. Like many other patients affected by the disease, she faced discrimination and stigma.  

"I felt devastated upon learning I had leprosy," she confesses. "I encountered significant prejudice with my colleagues and community members. Most of them don’t want to share any equipment or surface,” she explained. However, “I receive spiritual, emotional, and financial support from my family and a few friends,” she added.  

Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease transmitted through droplets from the nose and mouth. The disease is not spread through casual contact with leprosy patients like shaking hands or hugging, sharing meals, or sitting next to each other. However, prolonged, close contact over months with someone with untreated leprosy is needed to catch the disease. Patients stop transmitting the disease when they begin treatment.  

Dr Patrick Musinguzi, a dermatologist working at Mulago Hospital since 2011 explained that "Out of every hundred people infected with the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae, only five will develop signs and symptoms because most people's immune systems are strong enough to fight the infection," Dr. Musinguzi added that for those who develop the disease, "early detection and treatment adherence are important for recovery and reducing the disability associated with the disease."  

To improve awareness raising and management of Leprosy, Uganda is implementing a five-year national strategic plan for TB and Leprosy (2021/2025). It aims to prevent, diagnose, and manage leprosy comprehensively. The program is implemented with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, including among others, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Fund, and the Germany Leprosy Relief Association (GLRA).  

“We focus on improved awareness raising to enhance knowledge among communities, bridging the knowledge gap amongst health care providers, improving case detection, and reducing stigma,” said Dr Henry Mwebesa, the Director of General Health Services, at Uganda’s Ministry of Health.  

Under its mission of supporting countries in improving their population’s health, WHO has supported Uganda’s development and dissemination of the Zero Leprosy Road map. In addition, the organization has provided medication for Leprosy management in the country. WHO also supported the development of tools to improve Leprosy contact tracing and ensure accurate and timely reporting of Leprosy cases globally.  

"WHO is committed to ensuring that countries’ efforts in combating leprosy are comprehensive and impactful. We strive to not only provide essential technical support, medical care, and treatment but also to address the social stigma and discrimination associated with this disease,” Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, WHO Representative to Uganda.  

However, to improve the prevention and management of Leprosy, health education for medical and nursing practitioners on the clinical signs and symptoms of the disease is needed. “Some healthcare professionals may misdiagnose leprosy as a mere fungal infection, leading to delayed treatment and potentially resulting in disabilities for patients,”   

Thanks to adequate management, Minsa reports some improvement in her health. “I feel better now, the numbness and pain have reduced.”