Celebrating Jordan’s Historic Achievement: Becoming Leprosy-Free
Jordan recently made history by becoming the first country in the world to eliminate leprosy, as confirmed by the World Health Organization. For over 20 years, Jordan has not reported any cases of local transmission of leprosy, marking a significant milestone in public health.
Dr. Jamela Al-Raiby, the WHO representative to Jordan, attributed this success to the strong collaboration between the Ministry of Health and WHO, along with technical support provided by WHO. Saima Wazed, WHO’s regional director for Southeast Asia, described Jordan’s achievement as a historic milestone in global efforts to eliminate leprosy.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, commended the Jordanian government for this impressive milestone, emphasizing the importance of country-by-country efforts to stop leprosy transmission and eradicate the disease. Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, highlighted how Jordan’s accomplishment will change the narrative around leprosy, inspiring other countries to intensify their efforts to combat the disease.
It is crucial for Jordan to maintain robust surveillance systems to detect any potential new cases of leprosy. Leprosy, officially known as Hansen’s disease, is a bacterial infection that, if left untreated, can lead to severe damage to various parts of the body. Although leprosy is a neglected tropical disease that still exists in over 120 countries, Jordan’s success serves as a beacon of hope for global efforts to eliminate this ancient disease.
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