WHO SAID LEPROSY DOESN'T EXIST IN THE WORLD ?

WHO SAID LEPROSY DOESNꞌ T EXIST IN THE WORLD ?

QUIEN DIJO QUE NO HAY LEPRA EN EL MUNDO HOY DIA ?

BORDERLINE TUBERCULOID LEPROSY (BT)

DIFFUSE LEPROMATOUS LEPROSY (LL)

UPDATED 2026

VERSION EN ESPAÑOL (CLICK)

NOTE: A few days ago, I saw a post on a Spanish social media platform by a doctor (whose name I obviously won't mention) claiming that LEPROSY HAD DISAPPEARED worldwide thanks to a "VACCINE" invented by Dr. "Convit," which the WHO distributed FOR FREE after 50 years of research. She concluded her post with: "There is no leprosy in the world thanks to this individual and the 'vaccine.'" This prompted me once again to bring this topic to light with the actual figures for leprosy cases in 2023 and 2024, including the most affected countries, current treatment, and other data of statistical interest.

The 2025 case data is not currently available because it is published between January and September of the following year. Therefore, we will have that data in mid- to September of 2026.

First, I will present two leprosy cases I examined, one in a doctor's office. PRIVATE, (2011), and the other at the CENTRAL HOSPITAL of MARACAY, (2024).

ENGLISH

LEPROSY FIGURES IN THE WORLD YEARS 2023 - 2024.

PFor many people in Venezuela and around the world, leprosy, or Hansen's disease, simply doesn't exist. Because, they claim, "a vaccine was invented" a long time ago, which is completely false. Just as false as saying that aliens live among us and are going to invade.

1.) THE EVIDENCE:

If that concept were TRUE, I would not present these cases: a 23-year-old young man who came voluntarily to my office, in 2011, with erythematous-squamous plaques on his forearm, arm, and right hand with loss of sensitivity to cold and heat.

The young man told me: I do not feel cold, or heat, or when I hit myself. He pulled out his thumbnail because it bothered him, using pliers, and he did not feel pain. The photos speak for themselves.

Areas of skin where hair is lost, cutaneous anesthesia, loss of sensitivity, and difficulty moving the limb. The Mycobacterium leprae had already invaded his nerves. Areas of ulceration due to blows. Erythematous-squamous plaques where the difference between healthy and affected skin can be clearly seen.

Diagnosis: tuberculoid leprosy (Borderline Tuberculoid). (BT)

I referred him to the public dermatology service and requested a counter-referral: the response was a sentence:

Tuberculoid leprosy (BT), treatment already started. They told him a year and a half of treatment. They did not mention any vaccine.

The second case seen at the CENTRAL HOSPITAL of MARACAY, year 2024, an older adult with the following lesions: Leonine facies (typical of leprosy), loss of the tail of the eyebrows, enlargement of the auricular pinnae, diffuse erythematous-squamous plaques on the body with loss of sensitivity, functional disability of hands and feet, with plantar perforating ulcer.

Diagnosis: Diffuse Lepromatous Leprosy (LL) with functional disability.

How long are they going to continue with that fairy tale???? How long are you going to keep lying to the world that in Venezuela a vaccine against leprosy was invented, when that is totally false. How long is WHO going to keep lying about it saying that there is practically no leprosy in the world.

The W.H.O. can say that compared to the LAST CENTURY the cases have decreased; in fact, they have a "ZERO LEPROSY" plan for the year 2030.

The figures on leprosy published annually by the Pan American Health Organization and the C.D.C are COMPLETELY real.

Why do they not acknowledge that antibiotics such as OFLOXACIN, CLARITHROMYCIN, AMOXICILLIN and CLAVULANIC ACID eliminate, kill Mycobacterium leprae. Those antibiotics put an end to the myth that the Hansen bacillus IS INDESTRUCTIBLE and that the vaccine never existed.

What existed or exists is an immunotherapy, totally different from a vaccine, which, in view of its failure, stopped being used in Venezuela, and IS NOT USED in any region or country on planet Earth.

But what I want you to reflect on is not this terminology, it is the fact that the difference in time between the two cases is 13 years, and the first case is "milder" than the second from the year 2024, which represents the most severe end of the spectrum in terms of the CLASSIFICATION of the types of LEPROSY.

LEPROSY STILL EXISTS IN VENEZUELA AND THE WORLD AND THERE IS NOT AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN SUCH A VACCINE.

The treatment that was prescribed to these patients was the CLASSIC: Multi Drug Therapy (MDT), which was put into practice more than 60 years ago: DIAMINO-DIPHENYL-SULFONE or DDS, RIFAMPICIN and CLOFAZIMINE, CLASSIC treatment and used TODAY, 2026, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

And if a vaccine existed... WHY IS IT NOT GIVEN TO THE ENTIRE SUSCEPTIBLE POPULATION? TO prevent the appearance of the disease?

QUITE SIMPLY: BECAUSE IT DOES NOT EXIST! The most advanced today regarding the "VACCINE" against LEPROSY is INDIA; at the end you have the link.

2.) THE FIGURES FOR THE YEARS 2023 AND 2024:

Now I'm going to list the cases reported by the CDC and the WHO that were reported in the years 2024 and 2024.

Most Affected Countries (2024 vs. 2023, with G2 Disabilities)

Country	Cases 2024	Cases 2023	Change %	G2 2024	% G2 2024	G2 2023	% G2 2023
India	100,957	105,000	-3.8%	~5,300 est.	5.3%	~5,500 est.	5.2%
Brazil	22,129	23,500	-5.8%	~1,200 est.	5.4%	~1,300 est.	5.5%
Indonesia	14,698	15,200	-3.3%	~800 est.	5.4%	~850 est.	5.6%
Others (>1,000 cases)	~35,000	~38,000	-8%	~1,800 est.	5.1%	~2,000 est.	5.3%
Global Total	172,717	182,815	-5.5%	9,124	5.3%	9,729	5.3%

Note: G2 disabilities stable at ~5.3% in both years (rate 1.1–1.2/million); that is, disabilities in both years are almost the same, there was no decrease from 2023 to 2024. Country figures estimated proportionally. Multibacillary cases = higher risk.

Grade 2 disability (G2) in leprosy refers to visible and irreversible deformities present at the time of diagnosis of new cases.

Disabilities due to the long-term effects of Mycobacterium Leprae infection are reported in three categories:

G2: Visible deformities without intervention (e.g. chronic ulcers, claw hand/feet, bone resorption, facial-nasal collapse).

G1: Nerve damage without visible deformity (sensory-motor only).

G0: No disability.

Although it is true that cases decreased from 182,815 global annual cases in 2023 to 172,717 in 2024, this table shows you OBJECTIVELY that there is still LEPROSY in the world.

Now I am going to show you the countries that reported 1,000 (one thousand) cases or more per country in those years, 2024 compared with 2023.

Cases >1,000 per Country (2024 vs 2023 with Global %)

Country	Cases 2024	Global % 2024	Cases 2023	Global % 2023
Bangladesh	3,800	2.2%	4,000	2.2%
D.R. Congo	4,500	2.6%	5,000	2.7%
Ethiopia	3,500	2.0%	3,000	1.6%
Madagascar	3,000	1.7%	3,300	1.8%
Mozambique	2,500	1.4%	2,700	1.5%
Myanmar	3,000	1.7%	3,300	1.8%
Nepal	2,000	1.2%	2,500	1.4%
Nigeria	3,500	2.0%	4,000	2.2%
Philippines	3,500	2.0%	3,300	1.8%
Somalia	1,500	0.9%	1,700	0.9%
Sri Lanka	1,800	1.0%	2,100	1.1%
SUBTOTAL	~35,100	~20.3%	~38,600	~21.1%
Top 3 (India/Brazil/Indonesia)	137,784	79.8%	143,576	78.5%
GLOBAL TOTAL	172,717	100%	182,815	100%

Note: Percentages calculated by dividing country cases/total global cases. These 12 countries represent approximately ~20% of global cases in both years, remembering that in the Top 3 the countries India, Brazil and Indonesia account for 80% of the cases.

CURRENT LEPROSY TREATMENT W.H.O.:

The World Health Organization, as of 2026, has summarized the treatment of LEPROSY or HANSEN’s disease into two TYPES, based on the bacillary "load" of Mycobacterium Leprae that the patient has: PAUCIBACILLARY and MULTIBACILLARY.

The drug CLOFAZIMINE (LAMPREN), classically used in treatment, is only used in MULTIBACILLARY LEPROSY because of its bacteriostatic effect.

WHO Treatment Scheme: Leprosy Multidrug Therapy

Type	Duration	MONTHLY supervised dose	DAILY self-administered dose
PAUCIBACILLARY (PB)	6 months	Rifampicin 600mg + Dapsone 100mg	Dapsone 100mg
MULTIBACILLARY (MB)	12 months	Rifampicin 600mg Clofazimine 300mg + Dapsone 100mg	Clofazimine 50mg + Dapsone 100mg

Note: Free via WHO/Novartis. Doses adjusted by weight in children. Completing the regimen prevents resistance. Type 1/2 reactions require corticosteroids/thalidomide.

Criteria used by W.H.O. to classify LEPROSY as Paucibacillary and Multibacillary:

WHO Classification: Paucibacillary (PB) vs Multibacillary (MB)

Criterion	PAUCIBACILLARY (PB)	MULTIBACILLARY (MB)
Skin lesions	1–5 lesions	>5 lesions
Bacilloscopy (smear)	Bacilli NOT VISIBLE	Bacilli VISIBLE
Nerves affected	≤1 nerve	≥2 nerves
Ridley–Jopling classification	TT, BT	BB, BL, LL

Note: WHO practical rule: "Count lesions → 1–5 lesions = PB (6 months), 6+ or more lesions = MB (12 months)"
Exception: Positive bacilloscopy → Always classified as Multibacillary (regardless of the number of lesions).

SIGNIFICANT DATA FOR LEPROSY YEAR 2025

- New leprosy cases in 2024 fall to 172,717, but do not meet the targets established for 2025.

- The appearance of leprosy in boys and girls under 15 years of age indicates active transmission of the disease and delays in health alert systems, a sign that has raised concern among specialists and leaders of organizations dedicated to the fight against leprosy.

- During 2024 172,717 new cases of leprosy were reported worldwide. This figure, although representing a 5 percent reduction compared with the previous year, does not come close to the targets set by the Global Leprosy Strategy 2021–2030, which established a maximum of 123,500 new cases for 2025.

"I repeat: 123,500 new cases was the estimate by W.H.O. for the year 2025, an event that DID NOT OCCUR"Can you understand it?

- The number of relapses increased by 23.1 percent, rising from 3,644 to 4,486 episodes compared with the previous period, which reflects weaknesses in follow-up and adherence to treatment.

- Within the child population,

The 9,397 new cases among those under 15 years represent a rate of 4.7 per million, higher than both what was projected for 2025 (4.24) and the 2030 target (0.77).

- Each day 474 new cases are detected worldwide; of these, at least 25 present visible disabilities and 26 correspond to the child population.

- Regional analysis

shows that ten of the twenty-three countries (23) classified as priority countries saw increases in detections: Angola, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Madagascar, Mozambique, the Philippines and Sudan.

- As an interesting fact, SPAIN, a country placed in the leprosy group as "eliminated as a public health problem", this being determined by the factor:

(prevalence <1/10,000 since the 1990s), The Carlos III Health Institute reported ten new cases in Spain during 2025, distributed among Madrid (3), Catalonia (2), Castilla-La Mancha (2), Andalusia (1), Asturias (1) and Cantabria (1). According to the Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin of the CNE-ISCIII, between 2015 and 2024, 97 cases were recorded, being more frequent in people between 25 and 44 years of age.

- For four decades there has been effective treatment for leprosy through a regimen of two tablets daily administered for six months to one year, under WHO coordination; the key drug for this is DIAMINODIPHENYL-SULFONE (DDS), which is supplied FREE OF CHARGE by the pharmaceutical company NOVARTIS.

- So why is there still LEPROSY?

1.) Many infected people HIDE the initial symptoms.

2.) Difficulty in ACCESS to treatment, that is, failures in the Health system.

3.) Some cultures or religions regard LEPROSY as a DHARMA, that is, a divine punishment, and they DO NOT ACCEPT treatment, because the disease is a way to purge their sins, and by dying with it they will be "PURIFIED".

4.) Due to the length of time of the treatment duration, patients often discontinue it, stop taking it, and subsequently relapse.

CONCLUSIONS:

As you can see, despite the great efforts by these entities, it must be acknowledged that LEPROSY has decreased worldwide, but it still exists; the organizations responsible for reporting the annual cases of LEPROSY in the world are:

- W.H.O.: World Health Organization.

- P.A.H.O.: Pan American Health Organization.

- ILEP: (International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations: Founded in 1966, headquartered in London, and composed of 14 specialized NGOs that work in MORE than 50 countries where LEPROSY is still endemic.

ILEP Members - Full List (2026)

#	Organization	Country of Origin	Main Areas
1	AIFO International	Italy	Africa, Asia
2	DAHW (German Leprosy Relief)	Germany	Africa, India
3	Damien Foundation	Belgium	Congo, Africa
4	Effect Hope	Canada	India, Nepal
5	FAIRMED	Switzerland	East Africa
6	Fondation Raoul Follereau	France	Africa, Pacific
7	Fontilles Foundation	Spain	India, Mozambique
8	Anesvad Foundation	Spain	West Africa
9	Hope Rises International	USA	Asia
10	Lepra (UK)	United Kingdom	India, Mozambique
11	Leprosy Relief Canada	Canada	Global
12	NLR Netherlands Leprosy Relief	Netherlands	India, Indonesia
13	Sasakawa Health Foundation	Japan	Africa, Pacific
14	The Leprosy Mission International	United Kingdom	India + 15 countries
TOTAL	14 ILEP NGOs	11 countries	>60 endemic countries

🏆 TOP 5 visibility: Leprosy Mission (1st), Sasakawa (2nd), Fontilles (3rd), Lepra UK (4th), NLR Netherlands (5th)
💰 Joint budget: ~20 Million Euros (€) per year | 🏥 Projects: 1,000+ | 📊 They generate data for WHO.

NOTE: annually ~120–130 countries report new leprosy cases (2024–2026), but 23 are priority countries (95–96% of global cases), and these are:

23 WHO PRIORITY COUNTRIES (95.7% of cases 2024):

India (100,957), Brazil (22,129), Indonesia (14,698), Bangladesh, D.R. Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Angola, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Kiribati, Sudan, South Sudan, Timor-Leste.

Endemic definition: ≥1 new case/year + proven local transmission. Europe/USA have cases but mostly imported.

Leprosy Cases Venezuela vs Global (2023-2024)

Year	Venezuela	Global	% Global	Ranking Americas
2023	338 cases	182,815	0.18%	2nd Prevalence**
2024	~235 est.	172,717	0.14%	~5th new cases
Variation	↓ -30%	↓ -5.5%	↓ 0.04 points	Probable underreporting

Note: Venezuela <1,000 cases → not WHO priority **2nd Americas prevalence: 790 active cases 2023 (post-Brazil)
Foci: Apure (0.45/10,000), Portuguesa. Active local transmission.

You can verify with all these data that there is NO MENTION of the alleged "VACCINE" to prevent or cure LEPROSY or Hansen’s disease. The latest studies on this are in the following link:

LEPROSY AND VACCINES UPDATE (2024) where you will find 8 (eight) more LINKS on the topic HANSEN’S DISEASE or LEPROSY.

I hope this post is helpful in understanding that: Even with the great advances in science, HANSEN disease, or LEPROSY, still exists on planet Earth, and that the supposed "VACCINE" has not been created. It does not EXIST; there are advancements... which you will find in the link.

Regards,,,

Dr. Jose Lapenta

Dr. Jose M. Lapenta,

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REFERENCIAS BIBLIOGRÁFICAS / BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

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1.) Los nuevos casos de lepra en 2024 caen hasta los 172.717, pero no cumplen con los objetivos establecidos para 2025

2.) Global leprosy (‎Hansen disease)‎ update 2024: Beyond zero cases – what elimination of leprosy really means

3.) Child Cases Persist: The New WHO Data on Global Leprosy, 2024 (published 22 September 2025)

4.) Comportamiento epidemiológico de la lepra en varios países de América Latina, 2011-2020.

5.) Lepra datos y cifras (who): Published january 2026.

6.) Lepra (Medicos sin fronteras)