World Leprosy Day: Be The Change

World Leprosy Day: Be The Change

World Leprosy Day: Be The Change“The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared and deserted by everybody.” – Mother Teresa

Missionary nun and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mother Teresa once said, “I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper’s wounds I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?”

Yet in this present world there is still a stigma attached to Leprosy. Most prevalent in developing countries like India, Brazil and Indonesia, this infectious, bacterial disease causes damage to the nervous system, skin, respiratory tract and eyes. Symptoms of this disease remain undetected for anywhere between five to twenty years. It causes permanent physical disfigurement and skin lesions, making ‘normal’ and ‘healthy’ individuals shun the ‘lepers’.

A tad derogatory, the term ‘lepers’ has been used to define people suffering from leprosy. Until the 19th century, before a cure was found, there was very little understanding about the transmission of this disease. As a result, most people associated leprosy with ‘impure’ blood, curses and sins. They treated the afflicted as outcasts, making them reside in separate colonies. Even today, lepers admit to have been locked up by their own families. This apathetic attitude of the society has made the condition even worse, causing not just great physical and emotional stress, but also a dire lack of employment opportunities.

On this World Leprosy Day, the 30th of January, why not change for the better? Let us join hands and unite for a global cause. Interestingly, both Martyrs’ Day (death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi) and World Leprosy Day are observed on the same day. Let us remember the Mahatma and strive to be the change we want to see.

As per a 2013 report by World Health Organization (WHO), India contains approximately 59% of globally reported leprosy cases. To reduce this number, the government of India has been running a National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) since 1983. According to its latest report, we had achieved the goal of elimination of leprosy as a public health problem in 542 out of 657 districts by March 2014.

On a global scale, there were around 211,903 leprosy cases reported in the world in 2010. By 2015, the figure drastically dropped to 176,176 cases. Thanks to global awareness and a better understanding of the disease, we can aim to reduce this number a lot more in years to come.

Let us swear an oath to globally eradicate the disease. Let us change our mindset and fill it with empathy towards the afflicted. Let us treat all ‘lepers’ with compassion and love. They are all wounded soldiers of a severe war. And it is our foremost duty to nurse them, cure them and bring them happiness.

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