India has achieved a major milestone in containing the threat of leprosy by bringing down the number of cases to 107000 or about .95 for every 10000 people. This is the internationally acceptable level to claim eradication of a disease. The new target is to completely eradicate this disease that takes 20 to 25 years to incubate. Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal account for 41% of all cases. Until 1950s, over 70% of leprosy cases world over came from India with the South contributing the most. With the implementation of the Leprosy Control Program in 1955, India achieved World Health Assembly targets by May 1991. All Southern states have a low prevalence rate of .60 per 10000 but the disability rate is higher. Meghalaya has the lowest prevalence of .11 per 10000.
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