Western Pacific Regional Leprosy Situation in 2005
Prevalence: 9 460
Prevalence rate: 0.054 / 10 000 population.
New Case Detection: 7 201
New Case Detection rate: 0.413 / 100 000 population
MB proportion among new cases: 81.4%
Visible disability of extremities (feet, hands as well as eyes) among new cases: 9.35%
Children among new cases: 7.41%
Number of new cases in two countries reporting more than 1 000 new cases in WPR (2002-2005)
| Country | Number of new cases | |||
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| China | 1646 | 1404 | 1499 | 1658 |
| Philippines | 2479 | 2397 | 2254 | 3130 |
Profile of new leprosy cases* in the Western Pacific Region in 2005
| Multibacillary (MB) % (advanced cases) | Femarle % | Child % | Disability G2 % (affecting body extremeties and the eyes) |
| 29.6% – Federated States of Micronesia | 28.2 % – Cambodia | 2.1% – China | 0.8% Federated States of Micronesia |
| 94.3 % – Philippines | 35% Lao People's Democratic Republic | 32.3 – Federated States of Micronesia | 21.3% – China |
*Countries reporting 100 or more new cases
New case detection at the national level: 2005
Among the 37 member countries and areas in the Western Pacific Region:
- More than 1 000 new cases = 2 countries/areas
- 100 to 1 000 new cases = 6 countries/areas
- 1 to 100 new cases = 15 countries/areas
- 0 new cases = 7 countries/areas
- Not reported = 7 countries/areas
- In previous years, the 7 countries and areas that are yet to report, had a total of 17 reported cases.
Status of sub-national elimination among the large countries of the Western Pacific Region at the end of 2004 (2005 detail data not yet available)
| Country | Population (million) | Population reached elimination | ||
| Regional | Provincial | District | ||
| Cambodia | 14.4 | No regions | 100% | 96.20% |
| China | 1312.4 | No regions | 100% | 99.3% (countries) |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | 5.8 | No regions | 98% | No information |
| Papua New Guinea | 5.7 | 49.40% | 71.80% | No information |
| Philippines | 81.6 | 100% | 94.40% | No information |
| Viet Nam | 82.4 | No regions | 100% | 98.48% |
Western Pacific Region progress report of 2005 and the first half of 2006
Leprosy situation (end of 2005) and progress report of 2005
The elimination goal of leprosy as a public health problem was achieved in 35 of the 37 countries and areas by the end of 2000 by reducing the prevalence rate to below one case per 10 000 population at national level. These 35 countries and areas cover 99.9% of the total population of the Western Pacific Region.
Total registered cases at the end of 2005 were 9 460 with a prevalence rate of 0.054 / 10 000.
Prevalence rate declined by 5.2% compared with 2004 and by 87.4% compared with 1991.
Registered cases were less than 10 in 22 countries. There were only 2 countries (China and the Philippines) with more than 1 000 registered cases.
New cases reported in 2005 were 7 201, with a new case detection rate of 0.413 per 100 000 population according to latest available data received from Member States. The new case detection rate has increased by 14% compared with 2004 (See table).
First level sub-national elimination has been achieved in large countries like Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, the Philippines and Viet Nam.
Health education campaign and rapid survey of endemic pockets and screening of selected populations in Cambodia, Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands and the Philippines resulted in the detection of 330 new cases.
The WHO Bi-regional Strategy (Western Pacific and South-East Asia) to sustain leprosy services following elimination developed in 2004 was introduced in Cambodia and in Viet Nam by organizing national level workshops in 2005. This has resulted in the development of a plan of action to further reduce the disease burden through timely detection of cases and to address problems pertaining to physical, social and economic rehabilitation of leprosy-affected persons in the coming years.
Progress report of the first half of 2006
Technical support was extended to the Federated States of Micronesia and Marshall Islands, the two countries that are yet to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem.
Among the large countries, China, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Viet Nam continue to contribute significant number of cases, particularly now that case finding activities have been intensified.
Latest notification of leprosy cases and monitoring indicators by countries, 2005