Effective treatments for leprosy are available for free worldwide, but the disease often occurs in hard-to-reach communities with limited access to healthcare. In Iloilo, the healthcare project team demonstrate the Leprosy Alert and Response Network System (Learns) – a mobile phone-based tool created by a Novartis Foundation and department of health public-private partnership. The tool enables frontline healthcare workers to send images of suspect leprosy lesions and symptoms to a specialist via SMS or an app, with feedback and referral pathways that reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Photograph: Alexander Kumar