From May 20 to 23, 2025, I attended the 78th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland. This year marks the 50th anniversary of support from The Nippon Foundation and the Sasakawa Health Foundation (TNF/SHF) for WHO’s leprosy elimination efforts. At the invitation of WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, I joined this year’s investment round meeting, where I announced that TNF/SHF will continue to support WHO’s Global Leprosy Program by providing 23 million US dollars over the next 10 years.

In addition, I met with delegations from 16 countries to encourage progress toward zero leprosy. Tentative agreement was reached to hold two national conferences: one in Sri Lanka in November 2025 and another in Brazil in March 2026. I also confirmed that health ministers of African countries are continuing to work toward a regional “Africa Zero Leprosy Conference.” With the health minister from Indonesia, I spoke about my upcoming visit in July, when we will go together to see conditions in endemic areas.

Leprosy is known as a “silent disease” because it starts without noticeable symptoms like pain or fever. The disease tends to be “silent” in other ways as well. Persons affected by leprosy may have difficulty speaking up because of the way the disease is known in their community. If they stay “silent,” they become undiagnosed “hidden patients” and they will be unrepresented, or “silent,” in public health data as well. We cannot achieve zero leprosy without addressing these various kinds of silence. I may be 86 years old, but that will not stop me from speaking up about them.

Yohei Sasakawa
WHOGoodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination