India reports 3,832 child leprosy cases, misses target
India recorded 3,832 new leprosy cases among children in 2025-26, official data shows. The figure is 91.6 percent above the National Leprosy Eradication Programme target of 2,000 cases.
Thirty-seven of the child cases involved Grade-2 disability, a sign of delayed detection, according to the data. The World Health Organization treats new cases in children as a marker of recent transmission in the community.
India achieved the elimination of leprosy as a public health problem in 2005. The current National Strategic Plan for 2023-27 aims to interrupt transmission by 2027, with the goal of zero child cases for five consecutive years in every district.
The programme has introduced a three-drug treatment regimen and the Nikusth 2.0 digital portal for tracking cases. Health officials say early detection and complete treatment are key to stopping spread.
Experts say the child-case numbers show transmission continues in pockets. Sustained surveillance and community awareness will be needed to reach the 2027 goal.
Khabar 24h Editorial Desk — our explainers are prepared by the Khabar 24h editorial team using AI-assisted research tools, and every piece is reviewed by a human editor before publishing. We do not claim original reporting: our work is turning complex topics into simple, accurate summaries. Spotted an error? Write to contact@khabar24h.com — our corrections policy aims for same-day review.
More from this author →
Leave a Reply