Chile eliminates leprosy as a public health problem — and leaves a practical roadmap for the region

The WHO verified that Chile has eliminated leprosy as a public health problem, becoming the first country in the Americas to achieve this milestone.

What happened

Chile has become the first country in the Americas to be officially verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating leprosy as a public health problem. The announcement was made on March 4, 2026, following a rigorous assessment conducted by the WHO, which confirmed that the country reached the criterion of fewer than one new case per 10,000 inhabitants per year — the international threshold for considering the disease eliminated as a public health problem.

What elimination means

Elimination does not mean zero risk: it means reducing the disease to a level where it ceases to be a public health problem, while maintaining active surveillance to prevent setbacks. In the case of leprosy, the focus is on interrupting transmission and early treatment to prevent permanent disabilities. The WHO emphasizes that elimination as a public health problem is not equivalent to eradication, which would require the complete absence of cases worldwide.

Why this matters

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. Although curable with free treatment provided by the public health system in most countries in the region, stigma and late diagnosis still pose significant challenges. Chile's progress shows a practical path: early detection, contact tracing, free treatment, and coordination between surveillance and primary care. The country implemented decentralized strategies that integrated the fight against leprosy into basic health services, allowing cases to be identified and treated quickly.

What to watch next

Chile's milestone serves as a model for other countries in the Americas that still face leprosy as a public health challenge, especially Brazil and India, which account for the majority of new cases worldwide. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the WHO recommend that countries strengthen epidemiological surveillance, invest in training healthcare professionals, and combat the stigma associated with the disease. The next step for Chile is to maintain sustained elimination, with continuous monitoring and rapid response to potential outbreaks.

Sources

https://www.who.int/news/item/04-03-2026-chile-becomes-the-first-country-in-the-americas-to-be-verified-by-who-for-the-elimination-of-leprosy https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/leprosy https://www.paho.org/en/topics/leprosy