Leprosy data: Epidemiology and surveillance
The Western Pacific Regional Office for the WHO collects and analyses data regarding epidemiological trends and treatment outcomes of leprosy cases. The Regional Office works in conjunction with leprosy programmes in the Region's 37 countries and areas, which use a standard system of reporting.
The latest report on the state of leprosy in the Western Pacific Region, the Epidemiological Review Of Leprosy 2008-2010, contains regional data on the notification of new leprosy cases and the status of elimination in the Region. The report reviews the epidemiological trend of leprosy from 2008 - 2010.
Statistical overview
The goal of eliminating leprosy as a public health problem at the national level, defined as a prevalence rate below one case per 10 000 population, was achieved in 34 of the 37 countries and areas. These 34 countries and areas cover 99.9% of the total population of the Western Pacific Region.
The prevalence of leprosy in the Western Pacific Region has declined by nearly 90% over the past 10 years. In 2010, a total of 8386 cases were registered with a prevalence rate of 0.05 per ten thousand population. Five countries (China, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Viet Nam) contributed to 86% of the total prevalence. The Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands never reached leprosy elimination, while Kiribati failed to maintain the elimination threshold. Compared with 1991, when the Region achieved the overall elimination goal, the prevalence decreased by 88%.
A total of 5055 new cases were reported in 2010 with a new case detection rate of 0.3 per hundred thousand population. The new case detection rate has decreased by 5.8% compared with 2009 and decreased by 66% compared with 1991, showing a continuing decline in the total number of new cases detected in the Region. Five countries (Cambodia, China, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Viet Nam) contributed to 84% of the newly detected cases in the Region. The proportion of multibacillary cases increased by 2% while that of children decreased by 7% and that of grade 2 disability by 14% compared with 2009. In 2010, nine countries reported no new leprosy cases.
