01196nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260000900042653003000051653001600081653001800097653001100115653001400126653002300140653001200163653001500175653003000190100001300220245010700233300002800340490000800368520056400376022001400940       1999                            d  c199910aDrug Therapy, Combination10aForecasting10aGlobal health10aHumans10aIncidence10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aPrevalence10aWorld Health Organization1 aLechat F00a[The program for the elimination of leprosy: ambitious challenges, novel approaches, issues in doubt].  a201-6; discussion 206-70 v1543 a<p>The WHO-sponsored programme on the "elimination of leprosy as a public health problem by the Year 2000" has been highly successful. Over 9 million patients were treated by multiple drug therapy. The number of patients world-wide has been reduced by more than 90 per cent over the last 10 years, being at present less than 800,000. Transmission however, the ultimate goal of the programme, has not been interrupted. The number of new cases detected per year is still high. This observation raises serious questions regarding the future of the programme.</p>  a0377-8231