On World Leprosy Day, the Kwara State Government urged residents, development partners and other stakeholders to join in intensifying efforts to eradicate leprosy and reduce the stigma associated with the disease. The appeal was issued as the state marked this year’s observance with activities held at the Nigerian Correctional Service in Oke-Kura, Ilorin.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Taoheed Abdullahi, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating leprosy through sustained public awareness campaigns, early case detection and community engagement. He explained that the initiative aligns with the global theme for World Leprosy Day 2026 — “Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma” — which emphasises dispelling misconceptions, encouraging prompt diagnosis and ensuring timely treatment.
Dr. Abdullahi noted that although leprosy is completely curable with multi-drug therapy provided free of charge, stigma and misinformation continue to deter many from seeking care early, leading to preventable disabilities and social exclusion. He said over 200,000 new cases are reported globally each year, with Africa accounting for a significant share, and stressed that discrimination and fear often hide the disease and hinder progress.
In response, the state government, in partnership with the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, has scaled up interventions across all 16 local government areas, including training more than 500 primary healthcare workers on early detection and distributing educational materials in local languages to help increase awareness. Leprosy services have also been integrated into routine health outreach programmes, which officials say has helped reduce the number of disability cases among newly diagnosed patients.
Government representatives also acknowledged the support extended to inmates at the correctional facility through free medical screening, treatment and sensitisation, and called on private organisations and individuals to complement these efforts in prisons and other community settings. Additionally, plans were announced to carry out awareness campaigns and active case searches in other parts of the state, including at a training institution in Ganmo and in Kaiama Local Government Area on January 28, 2026.
World Leprosy Day is observed every year to raise global awareness about the disease, promote early treatment and confront the stigma and discrimination faced by people affected by leprosy.
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