The Minister for Health, Mohamed Mchengerwa, has urged communities across Tanzania to stop hiding people affected by leprosy and instead report suspected cases early to support national efforts to eliminate the disease.
Speaking on Saturday, January 25, 2025, in Dodoma during a press briefing ahead of World Leprosy Day, Mr Mchengerwa said stigma and concealment of patients continue to undermine the country’s progress in combating the disease.
He called on Regional and District Medical Officers to intensify follow-up in areas where new leprosy cases are detected, ensuring that all households in affected communities are screened and that confirmed patients are immediately enrolled in treatment.
“I urge Regional Medical Officers to ensure that every household in areas where new leprosy cases are identified is closely monitored, with all family members screened and those found to have the disease started on treatment. If every region, council and community plays its part, we can eliminate leprosy even before 2030,” he said.
The minister also directed local authorities to ensure that all newly identified patients are properly documented, including their village, ward and district of origin.
He noted that if a patient comes from outside the reporting region, their details should be forwarded to authorities in their home area to enable follow-up, screening of close contacts and preventive treatment for affected households.
Mr Mchengerwa said Tanzania has maintained its status as a country that has eliminated leprosy as a public health problem since 2006, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), after achieving the global threshold of fewer than one case per 10,000 people.
He added that the number of newly detected leprosy cases continues to decline, from 2,297 cases in 2015 to 1,442 cases in 2025 a reduction of 37 percent.
The minister commended healthcare workers for their continued efforts to improve public health and curb the spread of leprosy, while also recognizing the media’s role in raising awareness and educating communities on disease prevention.
“Regions and councils must ensure that every identified patient is properly traced and their information acted upon to break the chain of transmission. I commend health workers for their dedication and journalists for their role in educating the public about leprosy and other diseases,” he said.