Imphal, Feb. 2 -- A troubling case has emerged in Manipur where a nine-year-old child has been secretly suffering from leprosy, as revealed by State Leprosy Officer Dr. Salam Bocha during an event on Sunday in Imphal.

The event was part of the nationwide fortnight-long awareness campaign on Sparsh Leprosy, running from January 30 to February 13.

Dr Bocha shared that Manipur has detected 12 new leprosy cases, bringing the total to 24 cases in the state. Globally, over two lakh new leprosy cases are reported each year, with India accounting for more than 60 percent of these cases.

However, India has made significant progress, achieving the elimination target with only 0.4 percent cases per 10,000 people and is now focusing on eradication...