Governors commit to accelerating leprosy elimination across Indonesia

Indonesia remains among the countries with the highest leprosy burden globally, with more than 16 000 new cases reported in 2025. Children accounted for 9.1% of new cases, showing that transmission is still occurring in households and communities. Although leprosy is curable and preventable, many people continue to be diagnosed late or avoid seeking care because of stigma, increasing the risk of disability and social exclusion.

To accelerate progress towards elimination, the Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), convened the 2026 National Leprosy Conference in Jakarta on 10 July 2026. The conference brought together senior government leaders, provincial representatives, development partners and persons affected by leprosy.

A major outcome was the signing of the Commitment Declaration for Accelerating Leprosy Elimination by 11 governors and 3 vice governors. In 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a regulation requiring subnational governments to allocate funding for priority diseases, including leprosy. Although the regulation provides a national mandate, progress depends on local governments dedicating sufficient resources. The declaration reinforces provincial leaders’ commitment to turn that mandate into action.