The Leprosy Mission Great Britain is the world’s largest leprosy-focused NGO. We are a Christian organisation that has worked for over 150 years to end leprosy, restore dignity, and support communities affected by the disease. Part of The Leprosy Mission Global Fellowship, a network of organisations working across more than 30 countries, we work together to defeat leprosy and transform lives. However, recognising that The Leprosy Mission can’t so this alone, we also work with other partners, including NGOs and research institutions, to share expertise and learning so that we can have the greatest possible impact. Research has been central to our way of working for decades and is an important part of our strategy. In the 1980s we were instrumental in trialling Multi-Drug Therapy, just one of the important research studies that has had a global impact on leprosy treatment. Decades later we are investing in the development of an early diagnostic test, so leprosy can be diagnosed before clinical signs are evident. Such tools are essential if we are to see an end to leprosy. Yet, our research is not just about finding new tools, it cuts cross all we do, enabling us to provide a strong evidence base for our programmes and demonstrate our impact.
At The Leprosy Mission, we are dedicated to creating a world where leprosy is no longer a barrier to health, dignity, or opportunity.
By building capacity, fostering inclusion, and championing change, we strive for a future where everyone affected by leprosy can access healthcare, where equality replaces discrimination, and individuals have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
As well as working on leprosy and other NTD, other development areas are integral to our work – from disability inclusion and climate change, to innovation and research. Join us in driving change. Areas for potential collaboration include:
Historically, more men are diagnosed with leprosy than women. Research tells us that there are no biological reasons for this, so it is likely that the problem is caused by socio-economic factors. Gender is just one example of leprosy programming that warrants more research, along with other aspects of inclusion.
Our programmes go far beyond diagnosis and treatment; the wellbeing of people affected by leprosy is paramount. Associated research focuses on mental health, how we can better assess wellbeing, and includes the co-development of mental health interventions with people with lived experience of leprosy..
As people with lived experience of leprosy often live in extreme poverty, in countries that are disproportionately affected by climate change, conflict and disasters, more research is needed into how best to build resilience and mitigate the impact of disasters. Such approaches are being integrated into our programmes and research
Facilitating the organisational capacity development of partners and government health systems is integral to our work. This includes providing opportunities for south-to-south learning. Research into the effectiveness of training and development, such as blended approaches to knowledge and skills development, provides the learning we need to refine our approaches so they can have a greater impact
There are many opportunities for leprosy to be integrated with other programmes such as other NTDs, dermatology, disability inclusion, climate change adaptation, livelihoods and WASH. Such integration can help fundability and sustainability, increasing value for money. However, there are few research studies on the effectiveness of integration on people with lived experience of leprosy - something we hope to change
Initial research indicates that poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions play a pivotal role in facilitating the transmission of leprosy and limit people’s ability to implement self-care. We have studies that are testing water sources for the leprosy bacillus. However, further research is still needed in this area
Globally, one in seven people have disabilities. Millions of these people have face permanent disabilities because of leprosy. The Leprosy Mission actively strives to ensure disability inclusive programming. However, there is great benefit in more in-depth research into the effectiveness of disability inclusive programming, including exploring practical ways to include people with lived experience of leprosy into the disability movement
Safeguarding is not only integral to our programming, but our research also focuses on how best to improve safeguarding practices in different cultural settings. This has included trialling more accessible client feedback mechanisms and visual tools for training communities on safeguarding.
To improve our impact, we are keen to try new approaches - learning from both success and failure. This is relevant to all aspects of our work, from basic science and clinical services, to strengthening health systems and community programmes. We welcome working with partners to trial the use of innovation and new technologies. Priorities include but are not limited to: a new early diagnostic test for leprosy; strong, low-cost prosthetics; as well as developing new solutions to implementation challenges