KATHMANDU: Nepal has already declared the elimination of leprosy from the country. However, the infectious disease is yet to be eradicated from its root due to a number of challenges, according to State Minister for Health Khadga Bahadur Basyal.

The government of Nepal had officially declared the elimination of leprosy on January 19 from the country where the prevalence rate is 0.89 per ten thousand people, according to the minister.

However, a total of 2,445 leprosy patients are currently under treatment nationwide, he said, addressing an interaction organised by Rehabilitation, Empowerment and Development Nepal here today.

The state minister urged the people to shun superstition about the disease.

Basyal underlined the need for leprosy department in each of the federal autonomous states. "Ministry of Health and Population will lobby for it", he added.

Among the leprosy patients, 80 per cent are from the Tarai districts. While 32 per cent are female and 8 per cent are children. Basyal, meanwhile, maintained that only a strong political commitment would help eradicate the infectious disease.