Battling the Stygma of Leprosy

Global Appeal 2010 will aim to bring an end to the stigma surrounding millions who suffer from leprosy. On January 25, 2010, the appeal, backed by corporate world leaders will launch in Mumbai, India, among many more willing to express their concern towards such a denial of basic human rights. India has the most number of leprosy cases, with new cases of the disease close to 134,000 in 2008.

The fifth in a series of appeals, this is the brainchild of Yohei Sasakawa, The chair of Japan’s largest foundation, The Nippon Foundation. Sasakawa, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Leprosy and Japanese Government Goodwill Ambassador for the Human Rights of People Affected by Leprosy.

One of the world’s oldest diseases, leprosy, if left to its own, results in deformity of limbs and other appendages. The cure in 1980, the multidrug therapy was made freely available to all those suffering from leprosy by the World Health Organization with early financial backing by The Nippon Foundation and later from the Novartis Foundation.

Over 16 million people have been cured of the disease with the wide use of MDT and leprosy is considered a health problem in only three countries: Nepal, Brazil and Timor-Leste. From 1985 onwards, 119 countries have managed to achieve the WHO target of one leprosy patient for every 10,000 people.

However, such progress has been unsuccessful in removing the social stigma so commonly associated with leprosy. Those suffering from the disease, referred to as ‘lepers’ and treated as pariahs while being subjected to sever discrimination. Thus affecting their employment, marriage and other social activities, and denied even basic human rights.