where we work |
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Leprosy occurs in over 120 countries worldwide. In its 125-year history, SFLG has supported leprosy-related projects in over 30 of these countries. Today, we work in 15 countries in Africa, Asia and South America where leprosy is endemic, as follows:
People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Bangladesh, in South Asia, shares its borders with India and Myanmar. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world with over 166 million people and, one of the most densely populated. Although Bangladesh is an emerging market with a middle-income economy, poverty, overcrowding and lack of infrastructure remain significant problems. The country is extremely vulnerable to environmental issues, including flooding and cyclones. Bangladesh is a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Read more here about our work in Bangladesh.
Read more here about our work in Bangladesh.
República Federativa do Brasil
Brazil is the largest country in South America and borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east and all countries in South America except Ecuador and Chile. It is the world’s fifth largest country by area and the sixth most populous with over 213 million people. It is a newly industrialised country with an advanced emerging economy and the twelfth largest GDP in the world.Despite its burgeoning economy, Brazil is a WHO global priority country for leprosy, with the second highest number of new cases behind India.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
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DRC is the second largest country in Africa and the fourth most populous with around 92 million people. It is landlocked and located south of the Central African Republic. DRC is rich in natural resources but in recent political times, it has suffered from political instability, a lack of infrastructure and corruption.
Centuries of commercial and colonial extraction and exploitation with little development have left many in this nation living in poverty. Two million children risk starvation and 4.5 million people have been displaced by internal conflict. DRC ranks joint 175th with Liberia in the Human Development Index. DRC is a WHO global priority country for leprosy. |
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
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Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west and Sudan to the northwest. These countries are some of the poorest nations in the world. Ethiopia ranks 173 out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index.
It is a WHO global priority country for leprosy. |
Republic of India
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India, in South Asia, shares its land borders with Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the south, the Arabian Sea to the southwest and the Bay of Bengal to the southeast. It accommodates the world’s second largest population with over 1.39 billion people and is the seventh-largest country by land area.
Despite India’s middle-income and being one of the world’s fastest growing major economies, almost 30% of its population lives below the poverty line. Additional challenges faced by Indian people, include a lack of provision or access to education, healthcare and improved water and sanitation. India is a WHO global priority country for leprosy. Around 60% of people affected by leprosy live in India. |
Republic of Kenya
Kenya, in central eastern Africa, is bordered by South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, and the India Ocean to the southeast. It is a middle-income economy with a diverse population of over 54.5 million people, half of whom live below the poverty level.
Climate change such as extreme drought unpredictable rainfall, flooding and increasing temperatures, is having an increased impact on the lives of Kenya’s citizens. These effects have already made existing challenges with water security, food security and economic growth even more difficult. Kenya is not a WHO global priority for leprosy.
Climate change such as extreme drought unpredictable rainfall, flooding and increasing temperatures, is having an increased impact on the lives of Kenya’s citizens. These effects have already made existing challenges with water security, food security and economic growth even more difficult. Kenya is not a WHO global priority for leprosy.
Republic of Liberia
Liberia, on the western African coast, is bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It has a population of just over five million people. Liberia was the first African republic to proclaim independence. Despite this incredible achievement, this nation has experienced massive civil conflict impacting infrastructure and basic social services. The 2013–2016 outbreak of Ebola virus has left 83% of the population living below the poverty line. Liberia has one of the highest incidences of sexual violence against women in the world. It ranks joint 175th with DRC out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index. However, Liberia is not a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Read more here about our work in Liberia.
Read more here about our work in Liberia.
Republic of Madagascar
Madagascar is the world’s second largest island country. It is located in the Indian Ocean, 400, kilometres off the coast of eastern Africa. It is a diversity hotspot. 90% of its wildlife is found nowhere else on earth and is threatened by its rapidly growing population of over 28 million people. The economy was weakened by the 2009–2013 political crisis and the quality of life remains poor for most of the Malagasy population. Madagascar ranks 164th out of 189 in the Human Development Index. Madagascar is a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Myanmar
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is located in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by India and Bangladesh to the northwest, Thailand and Laos to its east and southeast and, China to its northeast. Myanmar is rich in natural resources, however, civil unrest, poor infrastructure and poor income distribution means that poverty remains a significant challenge in Myanmar, particularly in rural areas. The coup d’état in Myanmar, which began in February 2021, when the democratically elected National League for Democracy was deposed by Myanmar’s military, makes for an unsettled and dangerous environment. Myanmar is a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Read more here about our work in Myanmar.
Read more here about our work in Myanmar.
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Nepal, bordered by China and India, is home to the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. It has a population of around 29.5 million people and it is one of the world’s poorest nations. Development challenges include its landlocked position, unemployment, lack of access to safe sources of water and poor infrastructure. In addition, the devastating earthquakes in 2015 and political infighting have significantly delayed the development of the country. Nepal is a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Federal Republic Nigeria
Nigeria is an African country bordered by Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It has the largest population in Africa with over 210 million people. Although Nigeria is rich in oil, few Nigerians have benefitted, with some of the country’s biggest problems including corruption, crime, a lack of infrastructure and unemployment. It ranks 161 out of 189 in the Human Development Index . Nigeria is a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Read more here about our work in Nigeria.
Read more here about our work in Nigeria.
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Pakistan, in South Asia, is the fifth most populous nation in the world, with over 224 million people. It has a 1,000 kilometre coastline along the Arabian sea and Gulf of Oman to the south. It is bordered by India to the east, Afghanistan to the west, Iran to the southwest and China to the northeast.
Pakistan possesses the world’s sixth-largest standing armed forces, it is a nuclear power and has a large and fast-growing middle class. Its political history, since independence in 1947, has been characterised by periods of significant military and economic growth as well as instability. The country faces challenges of poverty, illiteracy, and corruption. Pakistan is not a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Pakistan possesses the world’s sixth-largest standing armed forces, it is a nuclear power and has a large and fast-growing middle class. Its political history, since independence in 1947, has been characterised by periods of significant military and economic growth as well as instability. The country faces challenges of poverty, illiteracy, and corruption. Pakistan is not a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island country situated off the coast of south-east India. It has a population of over 21 million people and is home to many religions, ethnic groups and languages. 25 years of violence and civil conflict between the Buddhist Sinhalese majority and the Hindu Tamil minority finally ended in May 2009.
The effects of the conflict are still prevalent today with many war widows and orphaned children. Sri Lanka also faces environmental challenges due to the ever-present threat of cyclones and flooding. Sri Lanka is a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
The effects of the conflict are still prevalent today with many war widows and orphaned children. Sri Lanka also faces environmental challenges due to the ever-present threat of cyclones and flooding. Sri Lanka is a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Republic of Uganda
Uganda is a landlocked country located in central-eastern Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by DRC, to the south-west by Rwanda and, to the south by Tanzania. It has a population of over 47 million people. Uganda gained independence in 1962 and since then, has experienced violent conflict including eight years of military dictatorship by Amin.
The current president has been in power since 1986. The nation suffers with numerous human rights issues with 1.4 million displaced persons caused by internal conflict, widespread torture, attacks on political freedom, child labour, slavery and people trafficking. Uganda ranks 159 out of 189 in the Human Development Index but it is not a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
The current president has been in power since 1986. The nation suffers with numerous human rights issues with 1.4 million displaced persons caused by internal conflict, widespread torture, attacks on political freedom, child labour, slavery and people trafficking. Uganda ranks 159 out of 189 in the Human Development Index but it is not a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Republic of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, located between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north and Mozambique to the east. The capital and largest city is Harare. A country of just over 15 million people, Zimbabwe has 16 official languages with English, Shona and Ndebele the most commonly spoken.
Zimbabwe's recent history has been marked by civil war, brutality and unrest, starting in 1923 with colonial annexation and a declaration of independence from UK in 1965. This was followed by guerrilla warfare in 1970 with ZAPU and ZANU parties supported by communist powers and neighbouring African nations. Independence from UK that was declared in 1979 ended the guerrilla war but the House of Assembly voted to revert to British colonial status.
In the February 1980 elections, Robert Mugabe and the ZANU party secured a landslide victory and independence was formally granted in April 1980. Civil unrest immediately followed causing the death of tens of thousands of civilians in what became a five year campaign of brutality. In 1987, a unity agreement was reached creating the ZANU-PF party.
The 1990s were marked by further civil unrest and growing dissent to ZANU-PF's party policies. Reckless land reforms combined with continuous droughts and a drop in external finance, led to a sharp decline in the once abundant agricultural exports.
International sanctions on ZANU-PF and the termination of its Commonwealth membership led to the collapse of Zimbabwe's economy by 2003 and up to a quarter of the nation had fled the country. Most of those who remained lived in poverty. By late 2008, Zimbabwe had reached such a crisis in its living standards and public health that NGOs took over from the government as a primary supplier of food.
Mugabe was re-elected in 2013 in an election described as rigged and ZANU-PF embarked continued on its reign of misrule and corruption. In November 2017, the army led a coup d'etat and placed Mugabe under house arrest. ZANU-PF sacked him as party leader which was followed by his resignation. He died in 2019. ZANU-PF remains in power.
By 2017, it was calculated that Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF reign had cost Zimbabwe $38 billion in lost growth, 20 million people in lost population growth due to starvation and disease and halving of life expectancy. Death by politically motivated violence exceeded 200,000 people. Over two million people are still facing starvation due to recent droughts.
Zimbabwe is not a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Zimbabwe's recent history has been marked by civil war, brutality and unrest, starting in 1923 with colonial annexation and a declaration of independence from UK in 1965. This was followed by guerrilla warfare in 1970 with ZAPU and ZANU parties supported by communist powers and neighbouring African nations. Independence from UK that was declared in 1979 ended the guerrilla war but the House of Assembly voted to revert to British colonial status.
In the February 1980 elections, Robert Mugabe and the ZANU party secured a landslide victory and independence was formally granted in April 1980. Civil unrest immediately followed causing the death of tens of thousands of civilians in what became a five year campaign of brutality. In 1987, a unity agreement was reached creating the ZANU-PF party.
The 1990s were marked by further civil unrest and growing dissent to ZANU-PF's party policies. Reckless land reforms combined with continuous droughts and a drop in external finance, led to a sharp decline in the once abundant agricultural exports.
International sanctions on ZANU-PF and the termination of its Commonwealth membership led to the collapse of Zimbabwe's economy by 2003 and up to a quarter of the nation had fled the country. Most of those who remained lived in poverty. By late 2008, Zimbabwe had reached such a crisis in its living standards and public health that NGOs took over from the government as a primary supplier of food.
Mugabe was re-elected in 2013 in an election described as rigged and ZANU-PF embarked continued on its reign of misrule and corruption. In November 2017, the army led a coup d'etat and placed Mugabe under house arrest. ZANU-PF sacked him as party leader which was followed by his resignation. He died in 2019. ZANU-PF remains in power.
By 2017, it was calculated that Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF reign had cost Zimbabwe $38 billion in lost growth, 20 million people in lost population growth due to starvation and disease and halving of life expectancy. Death by politically motivated violence exceeded 200,000 people. Over two million people are still facing starvation due to recent droughts.
Zimbabwe is not a WHO global priority country for leprosy.
Sources of information
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2021 population statistics taken from Worldometer
The Human Development Index is a statistical composite index of life expectancy, education, and per capita income in 189 countries worldwide, compiled by the United Nations. Download PDF The World Health Organization Weekly Epidemiological Record provides global leprosy statistics each year. |
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