The World Health Organization WHO today declared Jordan as the first country in the world to eliminate leprosy, marking a significant milestone in global public health efforts. Congratulating Jordan on this milestone, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, Leprosy has afflicted humanity for millennia, but efforts have been made to stop its transmission and freeing individuals, families, and communities from its suffering and stigma country-by-country. WHO said that Jordan has not reported any autochthonous cases of leprosy for over two decades. The declaration was made after commissioning an independent team to assess this situation. The disease continues to occur in more than 120 countries. More than two lakh new cases are reported every year.