Progress in leprosy elimination programs at 19th International Leprosy Congress

News Hour:

The elimination of leprosy at the 19^th International Leprosy Congress (ILC) held in Beijing, China from September 18 – 21, 2016. Updates in 11 abstracts on four Novartis Foundation-supported leprosy initiatives in low- and middle-income countries will be showcased in scientific sessions.

Abstracts presented at the ILC demonstrate progress on the key programs under the Novartis Foundation strategy toward zero transmission of leprosy. The strategy was launched in 2014 to prioritize early detection and treatment, contact tracing and preventative treatment, strengthening of surveillance systems to become action-oriented and developing tools for faster and earlier diagnosis.

“The ILC is a great opportunity to present results of our leprosy strategy gaining momentum, share learnings, and highlight the research we support on a diagnostic development and epidemiological modeling, which can contribute to the design of future strategies to finally make leprosy history. I am particularly pleased to share emerging evidence on our multi-country Leprosy Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (LPEP) program, which at mid-point is already demonstrating the feasibility of integrating its strategy of contact tracing and preventative therapy in national control programs,” said Dr. Ann Aerts, Head of the Novartis Foundation.

Novartis Foundation-sponsored projects presented at ILC scientific sessions:

• Cambodia Retrospective Active Case Finding project: recommendations for targeting high-priority districts in phase 2 (Abstract ILC4.2-052/8.5, September 19, 13:30 CST)
• Accuracy of the Leprosy Alert Response Network and Surveillance (LEARNS) System of the Novartis Foundation and Philippine Department of Health – National Leprosy Control Program (ILC4.2-025/8.3, September 19, 13:30 CST)
• Criteria for a developing a PCR test (Abstract 47.1, September 20, 10:30 CST)
• Emerging evidence from the Leprosy Post-Exposure Prophylaxis project (Abstract ILC4.3-012/17.1, September 20, 13:30 CST)
• An interim report on the operational feasibility of leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, India (Abstract ILC4.3-014/17.2, September 20, 13:30 CST)
• Comparison of implementation aspects of Leprosy Post-Exposure Prophylaxis in India, Nepal and Indonesia (Abstract ILC4.3-022/17.3, September 20, 13:30 CST)
• Negotiating and implementing the Leprosy Post-Exposure Prophylaxis project in the centralized health service of the Union of Myanmar (Abstract ILC4.3-011/17.4, September 20, 13:30 CST)
• LPEP and implementation experiences from Nepal (Abstract ILC4.3-009/17.5, September 20, 13:30 CST)
• Modeling the long-term impact of additional interventions on the new case detection rate of leprosy in three endemic countries and regions (Abstract ILC4.3-007/17.6, September 20, 13:30 CST)
• Delivering leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis in a remote area: a case of Lingat Village, Maluku, Indonesia (Abstract ILC4.3-017/25.6, September 20, 15:30 CST)
• Distribution of leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis through extended contact-tracing with self-screening approach in Sumenep District, Indonesia (Abstract ILC4.3-018/25.8, September 20, 15:30 CST)

“This year we commemorate 30 years of Novartis Foundation commitment in the fight against leprosy,” reflected Ann Aerts; “therefore the ILC is timely to review the progress we are making together with our partners toward zero transmission of leprosy. It is also a fitting time to look ahead and envision a coalition to bring the anti-leprosy community together to go the last mile in the fight against leprosy.”