KATHMANDU: Even though the government aims to make the country free from leprosy by 2020, it is still present in 17 districts.

The government of Nepal had in January 2010 announced the elimination of leprosy at the national level.

Districts including Jhapa, Udaypur, Morang, Dhanusha, Bara, Parsa, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Banke, Siraha, Kapilvastu, Bardiya, Nawalparasi West, Kailali, Rupandehi, and Achham has the higher rate of leprosy cases than the elimination level.

The state of elimination will be understood when there is not more than a single case of leprosy among per 10,000 populations.

According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division data of the last nine years, some 3,000 new leprosy cases are identified in the country annually.

Last fiscal year, a total of 3,282 new leprosy patients were identified in Nepal.

State-2 has the highest number with 1,484 infected with leprosy. Likewise, State 5 has 719. While State 1 has 471, Sudur Paschim has 266, Bagmati 165, Karnali 89, and 88 in Gandaki State.

This was shared on the occasion of the 67th World Leprosy Day in the capital on Sunday.