Senegal reports 282 new leprosy cases
The nation has reached the World Health Organization's elimination threshold for the disease.
Senegal recorded 282 new cases of leprosy in 2025, according to data from the national elimination program. Papa Mamadou Ndiaye, president of the Senegalese association for the fight against leprosy, stated that while the country has met the World Health Organization's elimination threshold of 1 case per 10,000 inhabitants, new cases continue to be detected.
Ndiaye emphasized the ongoing challenge of eliminating leprosy transmission by 2030, a commitment Senegal has made. The government's policy aims to move affected communities from vulnerability to resilience. Ababacar Sadikh Niang, the deputy governor for development, noted that securing land and housing, ensuring access to basic social services, and providing sustainable livelihoods are key challenges.
A regional development committee meeting in Thiès discussed the resilience program for communities affected by leprosy. Senegal repealed a law from 1976 that had isolated and stigmatized people affected by leprosy and their families, replacing it with a law in June 2023 that recognizes former social resettlement villages as regular neighborhoods with full citizens.