{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T04:05:46Z","timestamp":1784001946454,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783555200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["TropicalMed"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The Philippines achieved World Health Organization (WHO) certification for the elimination of leprosy as a public health problem in 1998. Despite this milestone, new cases continue to be reported each year, highlighting the need for sustained surveillance and interventions to achieve zero transmission. This paper provides an update on the country\u2019s progress toward interruption of leprosy transmission using national surveillance data and programmatic reports from 2020\u20132024. Quantitative data were obtained from the Department of Health (DOH) Field Health Services Information System (FHSIS), while policy and programmatic information were drawn from national reports, WHO guidance, and implementation reviews. Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine trends in prevalence, case detection rates (CDRs), and age-sex distribution patterns to identify high-risk groups. Leprosy prevalence declined from 0.41 per 10,000 population in 2020 to 0.11 in 2024, remaining below the WHO elimination threshold. The CDR increased from 0.45 in 2022 to 1.17 per 100,000 in 2024, indicating recovery of active surveillance after COVID-19-related disruptions. Most newly detected cases occurred among adults aged 20\u201359 years (72%), although continued detection among children aged 0\u201314 years (6\u20137%) suggests ongoing transmission in selected endemic areas. Key program strengths include policy integration and WHO-supported surveillance initiatives, while major barriers include stigma, uneven local implementation, and limited access to rehabilitation. The Philippines has maintained low national prevalence while strengthening efforts toward transmission interruption. Continued investment in surveillance, contact tracing, stigma reduction, and integrated neglected tropical disease (NTD) services will be essential to achieving zero transmission, zero disability, and zero discrimination by 2030.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed11070192","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T14:17:51Z","timestamp":1783606671000},"page":"192","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Transmission Interruption of Leprosy in the Philippines: An Update on the Current Program Priorities and Interventions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Bayo Segun","family":"Fatunmbi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"World Health Organization\u2014Philippine Country Office, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexander Yabes","family":"Taruc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"World Health Organization\u2014Philippine Country Office, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kazim Hizbullah","family":"Sanikullah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"World Health Organization\u2014Western Pacific Regional Office, Manila City 1000, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna Marie Celina","family":"Garfin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jose Gerard","family":"Belimac","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Almira Cruz","family":"Gatchalian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ma. Regina De Jesus","family":"Valdez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carmel Angela","family":"Buado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5104-815X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kim Patrick","family":"Tejano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9718-2597","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abelaine","family":"Venida-Tablizo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Leprosy Interest Group, Philippine Dermatological Society, Quezon City 1001, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Frederica Veronica","family":"Marquez-Protacio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Leprosy Interest Group, Philippine Dermatological Society, Quezon City 1001, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Belen L.","family":"Dofitas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Leprosy Interest Group, Philippine Dermatological Society, Quezon City 1001, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"suffix":"Jr.","given":"Arturo","family":"Cunanan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital Palawan, Palawan 5315, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Reginald Alain R.","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Philippine Leprosy Mission, Quezon City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesca Cando","family":"Gajete","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Leprosy Association, Greenville, SC 29601, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Concepcion P.","family":"Dumawat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Culion Foundation Inc., Quezon City 1103, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eugene","family":"Caccam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Culion Foundation Inc., Quezon City 1103, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eunyoung","family":"Ko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"World Health Organization\u2014Philippine Country Office, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rui Paulo","family":"de Jesus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"World Health Organization\u2014Philippine Country Office, Manila City 1003, Philippines"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Department of Health Philippines (2026, May 21). 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Saude Publica"}],"container-title":["Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-6366\/11\/7\/192\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T03:31:40Z","timestamp":1783999900000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-6366\/11\/7\/192"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"references-count":34,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]}},"alternative-id":["tropicalmed11070192"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/tropicalmed11070192","relation":{},"ISSN":["2414-6366"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2414-6366","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]}}}