Why in the News?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially verified Jordan as the first country to eliminate leprosy, marking a major public health achievement. Jordan’s success stems from years of public health initiatives, early detection, free treatment and education. It has not reported any autochthonous cases of leprosy for over two decades.

Leprosy

• It is also known as Hansen’s disease.
• It is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae.
• It primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and eyes.
• It spreads through droplets from the nose and mouth during prolonged close contact.
• Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) is highly effective and provided free of charge by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• It is a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) which still occurs in over 120 countries.

Jordan

• It is officially named as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
• It is located at the East Bank of the Jordan River.
• Borders: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Israel, and Palestine.
• Capital: Amman
• Currency: Jordanian Dinar
• History
  • After World War I and the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Jordan came under British control as part of the Mandate for Palestine.
  • In 1946, Jordan gained independence as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan under King Abdullah I.
• Government: It is a constitutional monarchy.
• King: Abdullah II
• Prime Minister: Jafar Hassan
• Official Language: Arabic
• It has a well-developed education system, with a literacy rate of over 98%.
• It hosts millions of refugees, primarily from Palestine, Syria, and Iraq, making it one of the largest per capita refugee-hosting nations.
• Phosphate mining is one of its key industries, along with potash extraction.
• It has one of the lowest levels of water resources per capita in the world.
• The Dead Sea, shared by Jordan and Israel, is the lowest point on Earth, renowned for its extremely salty waters.
• Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, is a desert valley in southern Jordan and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Location of Jordan along with its Flag

World Health Organization (WHO)

• Established: 7^th April 1948, celebrated every year as World Health Day.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Objective: Attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
• Director-General: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
• Member States: 194
• India became a party to the WHO on 12^th January 1948.

Logo of WHO