Desk Correspondent , New Delhi - The Delhi government is set to declare leprosy a notifiable disease under the Delhi Epidemic Diseases Act, aiming to bolster disease surveillance, promote early detection, and enhance treatment compliance in the national capital. The Delhi Health Department has already cleared the proposal, which is now awaiting final approval. Once notified, all hospitals, clinics, and private medical practitioners will be legally required to report every leprosy case to the District Leprosy Officer. This will enable targeted interventions, timely diagnosis, and access to free Multi-Drug Therapy at government facilities, officials said on Friday.

The move comes as India continues to shoulder nearly 59 per cent of global new leprosy cases despite achieving elimination as a public health problem in December 2005 under WHO criteria of less than one case per 10,000 population nationally. A recent pan-India study revealed that around 44.1 per cent of patients seek treatment in private healthcare facilities, where cases often go unreported under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme, allowing transmission to persist in communities. By making leprosy notifiable, Delhi will join states such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal in adopting this measure. Health authorities expect the notification to facilitate contact tracing, post-exposure prophylaxis, better treatment adherence, and reduced risk of disabilities. Detailed reporting guidelines will soon be issued to all healthcare institutions following approval under the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991.

Delhi Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh welcomed the development, emphasising that leprosy is completely curable. “Making it a notifiable disease will help us find hidden cases, stop transmission and ensure every patient gets standard treatment with dignity,” he said. The World Health Organisation has also recommended including leprosy in notifiable disease lists to strengthen monitoring and control efforts. Officials believe mandatory reporting will address social stigma by highlighting leprosy as a treatable condition rather than a social curse, ultimately contributing to breaking the chain of transmission in densely populated urban areas like Delhi. The decision reflects renewed commitment to the National Leprosy Eradication Programme amid persistent challenges of underreporting and hidden cases.