Finding leprosy earlier, preventing disability, and building stronger care for the future.
| Location: | Dhaka and five neighbouring districts (Gazipur, Munshiganj, Narayangonj, Cumilla, and Brahmanbaria) in Bangladesh |
| Timeline: | April 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 |
| Partners: | The Leprosy Mission International — Bangladesh |
Background
Bangladesh’s National Strategic Plan for Leprosy identifies these urgent priorities: increasing early case detection, improving disability prevention, and reducing stigma and discrimination through leprosy awareness.
Dhaka and five neighbouring districts (Gazipur, Munshiganj, Narayangonj, Cumilla, and Brahmanbaria) are considered high-priority areas for leprosy control. These densely populated regions continue to face serious barriers including delayed case detection and limited access to quality prevention of disability services. When leprosy is not found and treated early, people are at greater risk of nerve damage, wounds, disability, stigma, and long-term social exclusion.
The LEAD Project builds on the work of the Proyash Project (completed March of 2026) and works closely with government healthcare structures to strengthen leprosy services where they are urgently needed.
Challenge
Leprosy is curable, but in Dhaka and surrounding districts, too many people are still diagnosed late. Delayed detection means people may only receive care after complications have already begun, increasing the risk of preventable disability.
At the same time, government leprosy services require stronger coordination, more consistent access to treatment, improved disability prevention support, and continued advocacy to ensure people affected by leprosy are not overlooked within the health system.
Without early case finding, household contact screening, protective footwear, assistive devices, and reliable treatment pathways, people affected by leprosy remain at risk of avoidable disability and long-term exclusion.
Solution:
LEAD takes a practical, health-system-strengthening approach to improve leprosy care across Dhaka and five neighbouring districts. Implemented by The Leprosy Mission International — Bangladesh, the project works alongside government health departments, and Mohakhali Leprosy Hospital to find leprosy earlier, prevent disability, and strengthen government-led services.
Through active case finding, household contact screening, protective footwear, assistive devices, and complication care information, LEAD helps people affected by leprosy access support before preventable disability develops. The project also advocates for more consistent leprosy services within the public health system, including reliable access to multi-drug therapy and stronger coordination between national, district, and local health authorities.
Outcomes:
- Improved early detection and care for people affected by leprosy
- Reduced disability among people affected by leprosy
- Increased active case finding in collaboration with government health services
- Household contact screening conducted quickly after new diagnoses
- Improved access to protective footwear, assistive devices, and complication care information
- Stronger government capacity to manage leprosy diagnosis, treatment, and complications
- Greater advocacy for consistent, comprehensive leprosy services within the public health system
- Improved sharing of project learning with national, district, and local health authorities to support sustainability
Why It Matters
Leprosy does not need to lead to disability. But when diagnosis is delayed and prevention services are out of reach, people can experience lifelong consequences that affect their health, mobility, livelihood, family life, and dignity.
LEAD helps close that gap by finding leprosy earlier, supporting people already affected, and strengthening the government health system so care can continue beyond the life of the project. It is a focused, practical effort to prevent avoidable disability and improve the health of people affected by and at risk of leprosy in one of Bangladesh’s high-priority regions.
