Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their approach to tackling leprosy; what mapping of leprosy hotspots they have made to ensure targeted interventions; whether they have supported any new early diagnostic tests for leprosy; and if so, which ones.

Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease, as defined by the World Health Organisation. DFID supports progress towards the WHO 2020 targets on leprosy through our funding to civil society organisations such as Leprosy Mission England and Wales and LEPRA and to the WHO’s NTD programme. DFID has not supported the development of any new diagnostic tests for leprosy, but DFID supports the strengthening of health systems, helping to ensure that countries are better able to detect and treat all causes of ill health, including leprosy.