Rwanda is among countries that are in the process of eradicating leprosy, with only 37 patients left in the country, the latest report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows. According to WHO, for a country to be considered to be on the way to eliminating the disease, it must have less than one patient per 10,000 people per year. Rwanda has achieved this rate. Every year, there are 0.02 cases of leprosy for 10,000 people. ALSO READ: Podoconiosis: A neglected disease affecting 6,000 Rwandans with less awareness Although Rwanda is making significant progress toward eradicating leprosy, health authorities caution that vigilance remains essential. They urge Rwandans to remain alert and seek early treatment at the first signs of symptoms. Leprosy is transmitted through the air, and it is caused by an organism called Bacille de Hansen. The patient with the disease shows signs of light-colored spots on the body. According to Dr. Emmanuel Sibomana, Director of the National Leprosy Programme at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Rwanda has registered 133 new leprosy cases since 2019, which is an average of 22 cases a year. The majority of them have been women. “The number of cases has been decreasing since the leprosy programme was initiated in the 1960s. A number of factors have contributed to this progress. One of them is the political will to advance knowledge and mobilise resources for NTD-dedicated programmes,” he said. Rwanda has constantly committed itself to eliminating all neglected tropical diseases (NTDs, including leprosy by 2030. “This political will is key to the progress registered regarding case numbers. Leprosy-related services are integrated across all levels of healthcare in Rwanda and covered by community-based health insurance (Mutuelle de Santé),” Dr. Sibomana noted. WHO support The WHO has been supporting Rwanda in its drive to eliminate leprosy. This includes donating leprosy multidrug therapy (MDT), a drug that is available and free of charge nationwide. The organisation also helps authorities in conducting surveillance through active case findings in the community and passive case findings at all healthcare levels in the country. This allows us to identify the illness early to prevent disabilities and infection transmission. This is compounded by contact tracing to identify individuals living under the same roof as leprosy-affected individuals and chemoprophylaxis to protect them if they are found Leprosy-free and to be treated if they present Leprosy signs. ALSO READ: Up to 7,000 Rwandans affected by non-infectious elephantiasis – WHO Rwanda provides capacity building for healthcare providers to ensure adequate knowledge of the disease, its treatment, and prevention. “Additionally, we ensure community awareness through community outreaches, talk shows and other publication channels to mitigate leprosy-associated stigma and enhance leprosy-affected and their dependants’ mental well-being,” Dr. Sibomana explained. Dr. Sibomana indicated that the national leprosy programme set up cooperatives for leprosy-affected people to run income-generating activities such as grinding mills and goat rearing to ensure societal reintegration and improvement of different social determinants of health. “Moreover, in the past, the programme has built houses for Leprosy-affected persons in Rusizi, Bugesera, Ngoma, and Gisagara— districts with leprosy-endemic areas,” he said. According to RBC, multi-sector collaboration has also played a key role in the fight against leprosy and other NTDs, such as improvements in hygiene and sanitation, vaccination programmes, and programmes aiming to mitigate poverty nationwide. “All health centers in the country have the capacity to treat leprosy, and campaigns are being carried out, especially in the areas bordering Tanzania and Burundi, because it is often seen,” Dr. Sibomanasaid. Leprosy is one of the neglected NTDs. Rwanda, together with the WHO, aims to eradicate these diseases by 2030. In Rwanda, leprosy is common in Rusizi, Rubavu and Bugesera districts.
