Uganda Records Sharp Decline in Leprosy Cases Over Four Years

Uganda has registered a significant decline in leprosy cases over the past four years, signaling steady progress in efforts to eliminate the disease. According to the Health Ministry, reported cases dropped from 581 in 2022 to 203 in 2025. The milestone was announced on Tuesday during national celebrations to mark World TB and Leprosy Day held in Anaka Town Council. 

Speaking at the event, Beatrice Akello Akori, who represented the Health Minister, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, said the decline reflects sustained government interventions under the Zero Leprosy Roadmap 2022-2030. Despite the progress, Akori cautioned that transmission remains a concern, noting that 7 percent of newly registered cases are among children—an indication that the disease is still spreading within communities.

The government’s roadmap targets zero transmission, zero disability, and zero stigma by 2030 through improved case detection, increased public awareness, and strengthened health systems. Akori reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating leprosy, urging communities, health workers, and partners to intensify efforts in early detection, treatment, and stigma reduction. The commemoration was held under the theme: “Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma.” 

At the district level, the Acting Nwoya District Health Officer, Dr. James Okello, said stigma continues to hinder early diagnosis and treatment of both leprosy and tuberculosis (TB). “The only challenge here is stigma. But if patients come early, the disease can be treated effectively,” he said. Dr. Okello noted that since its creation, Nwoya District has cumulatively registered six leprosy cases, with one patient currently undergoing treatment at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.

The event also highlighted Uganda’s broader battle against TB. The country remains among the 30 high-burden TB and TB/HIV countries globally, with an estimated 99,000 infections annually and about 9,900 deaths recorded in 2025, including 1,342 drug-resistant cases. In Nwoya alone, Dr. Okello said the district registers between three and four new TB cases daily, describing the disease as a major public health threat due to its airborne nature. 

Ahead of the commemoration, the district conducted outreach activities reaching 5,956 people with integrated health services. Of these, 4,361 were screened for TB, while 611 underwent chest X-ray examinations. Results from the outreach showed that 60 individuals had abnormal X-ray findings, and further testing using GeneXpert confirmed 16 TB cases, all of whom were initiated on treatment. 

Nationally, TB treatment coverage has significantly improved, rising from 54 percent to 91 percent. This progress has been supported by expanded diagnostic capacity, particularly the scale-up of GeneXpert machines. Uganda now has 348 functional machines across the country, up from just 72 in 2014, greatly improving access to rapid and accurate TB diagnosis.