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Delhi to notify leprosy as a notifiable disease under Delhi Epidemic Diseases Act
The Delhi government plans to notify leprosy under the Delhi Epidemic Diseases Act to strengthen surveillance and ensure early treatment. The health department has cleared the proposal and sent it to the LG office for approval, with reporting requirements to District Leprosy Officers once approved.
Why It Matters
Making leprosy notifiable could improve case finding, surveillance and access to standard treatment, contributing to Delhi’s public health goals and India’s target to interrupt transmission by 2030.
Timeline
6 Events
India's share of global leprosy cases noted
May 1, 2026
The article states that despite national elimination status, India still accounts for approximately 59% of global annual new leprosy cases.
Private sector involvement and under-reporting highlighted
May 1, 2026
A pan-India study cited in the article found that 44.1% of leprosy patients are managed by private health facilities and go unreported to the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP).
Other states have already made leprosy notifiable
May 1, 2026
The article notes that several states, including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and West Bengal, have already made leprosy a notifiable disease.
Notification will require reporting of all new leprosy cases to District Leprosy Officer
May 1, 2026
Once approved, the notification will mandate all government and private healthcare providers, including clinics, hospitals, and individual practitioners, to report every new leprosy case to the District Leprosy Officer, enabling real-time surveillance, rapid response and treatment with Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) provided free in government facilities.
Delhi health department clears proposal to notify leprosy under Delhi Epidemic Diseases Act
May 1, 2026
The Delhi health department has cleared the proposal to notify leprosy under the Delhi Epidemic Diseases Act, and the proposal is now submitted for further approval with the LG office. Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh described the move as a step toward finding hidden cases, stopping transmission, and ensuring standard treatment with dignity, as part of Delhi's push toward a leprosy-free city and India's goal to interrupt transmission by 2030.
India's leprosy elimination status referenced
2005
The article references that India achieved leprosy elimination as a public health problem in 2005 (prevalence below 1 per 10,000).