How is leprosy treated?

Treatment for leprosy is free and available in every country. The treatment is a combination of three antibiotics known as Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT). No other treatments will cure leprosy. If you have noticed symptoms of leprosy, tell a health worker. They will assess you, and if they confirm that you do have leprosy, they will be able to get you access to Multi-Drug Therapy for free.

Multi-Drug Therapy kills leprosy bacteria

Leprosy is caused by a bacteria called M.leprae. The bacteria is what causes the damage to your skin, hands, feet, and eyes. Multi-Drug Therapy is a combination of three antibiotics that are very effective at killing the M.leprae bacteria.

You must take the medication as you are told

When you are given Multi-Drug Therapy, the health worker will explain how to take the medication, when to take it, and for how long.

It is very important that you follow those instructions carefully. If you stop taking the medication too soon, the antibiotics may not completely kill the M.leprae bacteria and the disease could continue to get worse.