Rwanda Targets Zero Leprosy Cases by 2030

Rwanda is on track to interrupt transmission of leprosy and river blindness within five years, offering new hope to millions living in underserved communities.

The country's new Neglected Tropical Diseases Strategic Plan 2026-2030 targets 13 million people still at risk of at least one neglected tropical disease. Rural communities have borne the heaviest burden of these preventable conditions for decades.

The government is already seeing real wins. Intestinal worm infections dropped from 45 percent in 2014 to below 20 percent today, proving that consistent effort pays off.

Rwanda plans to reduce diseases like bilharzia and intestinal worms to below one percent in pilot districts of Bugesera and Ruhango. The country will shift from mass drug campaigns to routine deworming as it builds on this progress.

Leprosy remains active in four districts: Gisagara, Bugesera, Ngoma and Rusizi. Over the past decade, new cases have declined by 30 percent, but detection among children shows transmission continues.

Between 2019 and 2025, children made up 10.6 percent of new leprosy cases. Another 16.7 percent of patients had serious disabilities when they started treatment, showing some cases are caught too late.

Contact tracing has reached 537 household members of leprosy patients, with 68 percent receiving preventive treatment. By 2030, Rwanda aims for zero new leprosy cases among children under five for at least five consecutive years.

River blindness persists in Rusizi and Nyamasheke districts along the borders with DR Congo and Burundi. Rwanda developed a separate elimination plan targeting 85 percent treatment coverage annually and 100 percent geographical coverage by 2030.

The Ripple Effect

The plan goes beyond treatment to transform how healthcare reaches communities. By 2030, all primary healthcare facilities will provide integrated disease services, and 90 percent of schools will conduct deworming programs.

The government will coordinate disease programs with water, sanitation and hygiene projects in every district. This integrated approach tackles the root causes that allow tropical diseases to spread.

Rwanda wants domestic funding to cover 70 percent of the $7 million plan by 2030, reducing dependence on international aid. The country also plans to submit validation documents to the World Health Organization for eliminating elephantiasis and trachoma.

Thirteen million people will have better access to care, healthier futures, and hope that these ancient diseases can finally become history.