Peter Waddup, CEO - The Leprosy Mission Great Britain

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Leprosy is thought to be the world's oldest disease. Yet it will need cutting edge science to finally consign it to the history books. For this reason, I was eager to accept a second invitation to UK Parliament in 2025.

The Science Without Borders event took place in UK Parliament yesterday lunchtime. The event was hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Disease. It formed a showcase of how UK research is driving change for some of the world's poorest people. These are people affected by 21 Neglected Tropical Diseases which include leprosy. Diseases that are both preventable and treatable. They simply need to be given their rightful place on the global health agenda.

In the development world, hopes are pinned on scientific breakthroughs to help find and care for people with NTDs. They often live in poor and remote communities where they can endure terrible prejudice. More than a billion people are affected by NTDs and ending these diseases requires a concerted global effort. Strong innovative collaborations between UK research institutions and their overseas partners are vital.

Parliamentarians were walked through research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The research was conducted between 2019 and 2025. We were delighted that communities affected by leprosy in India, Nepal and Nigeria could take part. Through collaborations with the Universities of Birmingham and Warwick, groundbreaking research took place. The focus was ulcer treatment for leprosy patients and the effects of stigma.

Using the voices of people affected by leprosy to shape research projects is something I’m passionate about. Afterall, they are the people whose lives the research will impact. They know better than anyone else what would make the biggest difference. Therefore, I was delighted to see my good friend Jayashree join yesterday's event via video link from India.

I first met Jayashree 10 years ago in Delhi and she is a tireless campaigner for people affected by leprosy. It seemed so fitting that she helped to shape the research projects highlighted yesterday in UK Parliament.

Jayashree told the room that she was medically cured of leprosy in the late 1980s. Yet for years after, prejudice left her grieving a life that leprosy had robbed from her. She then made an extraordinarily brave decision to 'come out' and speak about her experience with leprosy. Ever since Jayashree has been a passionate advocate for people affected by leprosy. As well as her role as an accountant and mentor is a life dedicated to helping people affected by leprosy reclaim lives of dignity and purpose.

Yesterday’s event advocated for the UK's continued leadership in combating these diseases. The UK’s involvement in science to end NTDs is not something we read about in the UK press. This is simply because it's not about British people and therefore, regrettably, not on their radar.

But just like climate change, we need to think globally about how disease affects the poorest of the poor. Afterall we are in a privileged position to do something about it. If there was one take away for Parliamentarians from yesterday’s event, for me this would be it. That it is paramount for the NIHR to continue its research into NTDs. By doing so we can fast track to a tomorrow without NTDs which, tragically, continues to wreck lives.