The Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy (GPZL) is working toward a world without leprosy through a country-by-country strategy. We bring together in-country partners and international stakeholders to work on country-led customized strategies that address local needs and priorities to end leprosy (Hansen’s disease).

Country Model

The Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy, in close collaboration with WHO’s Global Leprosy Programme, partners with National Leprosy Programmes to implement the Zero Leprosy Country Model. The Country Model is a program that guides country-level strategic planning through country reviews, roadmaps, action plans, and resources and tools.

Zero Leprosy Country Model

Country Model Components

Country Review

We coordinate a comprehensive review tailored to each country in collaboration with the National Leprosy Programme and regional and international leprosy experts. Review teams conduct fieldwork to collect national- and district-level leprosy data. Indicators encompass both medical and social aspects of the disease, including stigma and discrimination.

Roadmap

We support the development of a country-owned roadmap to achieve no disease, no disability, and no discrimination or stigma. Following the country review, stakeholders convene to analyze data and design a National Zero Leprosy Roadmap to measure and monitor progress toward agreed-upon milestones, in alignment with the WHO Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021–2030. The National Leprosy Programme Manager presents the roadmap to the Ministry of Health for approval and adoption.

Action Plan

The Zero Leprosy Toolkit, country review findings, and the national Zero Leprosy Roadmap inform the National Leprosy Programme’s development of an action plan. The action planning process culminates in a meeting with national leadership and local and international stakeholders. The meeting establishes support for leprosy programme activities that will contribute to the country’s zero leprosy targets. Following the adoption of the action plan, GPZL continues to provide technical support for the National Leprosy Programme’s roadmap implementation.

Toolkit

The Zero Leprosy Toolkit is a free set of field-tested best practices designed to support countries in their work toward ending leprosy and its associated disabilities and stigma.

Our Partner Countries

Learn about our work with national leprosy programmes.