In the first week of June, the National Leprosy Programme of Côte d’Ivoire hosted meetings to mobilize the resources needed to end leprosy in the country by 2030. Prime Minister Patrick Achi joined the resource mobilization event on 2 June 2022 and expressed support for the country’s goal to end leprosy. At the event, partners signed the Abidjan Declaration, a commitment to mobilize the resources, both national and international, necessary for the implementation of the interventions of the Zero Leprosy Action Plan.
The Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy’s Secretariat Director, Bill Gallo, signed the Abidjan Declaration alongside Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage, as well as the WHO representative and leaders from the Fondation Raoul Follereau, Foundation Anesvad, American Leprosy Missions, Sasakawa Health Foundation, Novartis, Hope Commission International, the Ivorian Association of Raoul Follerau, the Association of Persons Affected by Leprosy, the KED Foundation, Effect Hope, and Sightsavers.
The Abidjan Declaration outlines how the Zero Leprosy Action Plan integrates with Cote d’Ivoire’s plan to fight Neglected Tropical Diseases with skin manifestations in alignment with the WHO 2021-2022 Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases. We are excited to continue our partnership with the National Leprosy Programme of Côte d’Ivoire as they move toward implementation of their Zero Leprosy Action Plan.
Learn more about Côte d’Ivoire’s Zero Lepre campaign >