Stigma rather than medical limitations remains the biggest obstacle to eliminating leprosy in Nigeria, the Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Initiative Nigeria (LTR) has said, as the world marks World Leprosy Day 2026.
LTR said leprosy is fully curable, treatment is free and effective, and early diagnosis prevents disability, but “discrimination, fear and social exclusion continue to force many affected persons to hide their condition, delay seeking care and suffer avoidable complications.”
World Leprosy Day is observed on the last Sunday of January every year to celebrate people who have experienced leprosy, raise awareness of the disease, and call for an end to leprosy-related stigma and discrimination.
The organisation, aligning with the 2026 global theme “Leprosy is curable. The real challenge is stigma,” aimed to raise awareness of leprosy, highlight the challenges faced by persons affected by leprosy, and inspire collaborative action to eliminate leprosy.
LTR warned that Nigeria’s slow progress toward elimination is driven less by science than by neglect, underinvestment, and harmful social attitudes.
Despite Nigeria remaining among countries that report leprosy cases annually, LTR said funding for leprosy control, rehabilitation, and social reintegration remains critically low, weakening early detection, contact tracing, disability prevention, and community education.
According to the organisation, “stigma now does more damage than the disease itself, isolating individuals from families, depriving them of livelihoods and stripping them of dignity long after they have been medically cured.”
LTR also raised concern over the condition of leprosy colonies across the country, describing many as dilapidated, overcrowded, and lacking basic amenities, a situation it said reinforces segregation rather than promotes rehabilitation and reintegration.
Beyond treatment, the group noted that “many persons affected by leprosy continue to live with permanent disabilities, inadequate housing, limited access to social protection and persistent discrimination,” stressing that cure alone does not guarantee dignity.
Building on more than four decades of experience inherited from the Netherlands Leprosy Relief legacy, LTR said it continues to support leprosy and tuberculosis control in multiple states through early detection, post-exposure prophylaxis, healthcare worker training, disability prevention, and stigma-reduction efforts.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Saleh Gagarawa, the organisation said progress cannot be sustained without a stronger collective commitment.
LTR called on the government to increase domestic funding for leprosy control, rehabilitation, and welfare services, just as it urged donors to sustain investment.
The group also appealed to the media to challenge harmful narratives and encouraged communities and faith leaders to reject myths and embrace inclusion.
Ending leprosy, LTR stressed, is no longer only a medical task but a social and moral responsibility.
