Jordan has been lauded for achieving a “historic milestone” in eradicating leprosy, an ancient affliction.
Jordan has become the first nation globally to eliminate leprosy, as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday.
No leprosy cases originating within the Middle Eastern nation have been reported for over two decades, as confirmed by an independent team commissioned by the WHO.
“This accomplishment was made possible through the leadership of the Ministry of Health, strong collaboration between the WHO and the Ministry, and technical support provided by the WHO at all three levels,” Dr. Jamela Al-Raiby, the WHO representative to Jordan, stated on Thursday.
“Jordan’s elimination of this age-old disease marks a historic milestone in public health and a significant victory in global leprosy eradication efforts,” said Saima Wazed, WHO’s regional director for Southeast Asia and head of the organization’s Global Leprosy Program.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also commended the government in Amman for this “impressive milestone” in public health.
“Leprosy has afflicted humanity for millennia, but we are progressively halting transmission and liberating individuals, families, and communities from its suffering and stigma, country by country,” Tedros emphasized.
The disease has been recognized since ancient times, when it was incurable and resulted in a range of disabilities, including blindness and limb loss.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, remarked that
Jordan’s accomplishment “will transform the discourse surrounding this ancient, stigmatizing disease,” and that Amman “serves as an inspiration to other nations, encouraging them to intensify their efforts and overcome barriers to achieve this remarkable feat.”
Both the WHO and the Jordanian Ministry of Health have underscored the importance of maintaining “robust surveillance systems” to detect any potential new cases of the disease moving forward.
Hansen’s disease, as it is officially known, is a bacterial infection. If left untreated, it can cause severe damage to the skin, peripheral nerves, soft tissues of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes. Leprosy is spread through droplets from the nose and mouth, but it requires “prolonged, close contact over months” with the infected individual, and cannot be transmitted through casual contact, according to the WHO.
The international body has classified it as a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that still occurs in over 120 countries. India, Brazil, and Indonesia account for nearly 80% of cases worldwide.