23 May 2022 · Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy

GPZL launches new framework for countries to end leprosy

The Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy (GPZL) works toward a world without leprosy through a country-by-country strategy. We partner with National Leprosy Programmes to implement the Zero Leprosy Country Model. This program guides country-level strategic planning through country reviews, roadmaps, action plans, and resources and tools to support countries.

Over the past year, the Country Model Working Group, consisting of representatives from WHO, the National Leprosy Programme of Ghana, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NLR, American Leprosy Missions (ALM), Germany Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association (GLRA), the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, and The Leprosy Mission International, informed the adaptation of existing Zero Leprosy Country Model tools and the development of new tools to support countries on the path to zero leprosy. Last month, the Country Model Working Group held a validation workshop to review and affirm all new and updated components of the Country Model. The updated Zero Leprosy Country Model is now complete and is available to our country partners to support national planning to reach zero leprosy.

The Zero Leprosy Country Model consists of six components that support the formulation of a national strategy to end leprosy, including the formation of a contributing group of partners; guidelines for a country review, stakeholder meeting, and roadmap creation meeting; and guidelines for action planning, including support for the development of a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning, and Adaptation (MERLA) plan.

GPZL will continue to work alongside our national partners to implement the Country Model. In the near future, we also look forward to making a self-guided model available to all countries dedicated to achieving zero leprosy: no disease, no disability, and no discrimination or stigma.