Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason her Department excluded leprosy from UK funding priorities for the neglected tropical diseases programmes.

DFID is a leading donor tackling neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) globally through a range of NTD programmes, activities with the relevant part of WHO and research. DFID works to strengthen health systems, which helps countries to prevent and treat causes of ill health, including leprosy. DFID also funds civil society organisations such as Leprosy Mission England and Wales and LEPRA to diagnose, treat and support those afflicted with leprosy. DFID’s decision to focus on certain NTDs in existing programmes was based on analysis of disease burden, gaps, impact and cost effectiveness.

Our new ASCEND programme to tackle NTDs is being designed to be flexible and could include leprosy if activities can be delivered in an integrated way with focus diseases.