The World Health Organisation (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, Mr Yohei Sasakawa ,says overcoming leprosy required more than early diagnosis.
Sasakawa said leprosy also involved changing mindsets so that the disease would no longer be a source of shame or prejudice.
The Ambassador stated this in a message to mark the World Health day posted on the WHO website
He called for the removal of “all barriers in the way of those seeking medical care and eliminate obstacles that disalow” affected individuals and their families from living in dignity and enjoying all their basic human rights as full members of society.”
Sasakawa described leprosy as a motorcycle in which the front wheel represents curing the disease and the rear wheel symbolises ending discrimination.
“Only when both wheels are turning at the same time will we make progress toward our destination of a leprosy-free world” he said.
According to him ,the coronavirus pandemic has dominated the headlines over the past year and as such,it was easy to overlook other diseases especially, leprosy that many people think is a disease of the past.
But noted that ” leprosy requires our attention. There are still some 200,000 new cases diagnosed worldwide each year. Millions of people are living with some form of disability as a result of leprosy.
He noted that “persons affected by leprosy continue to face discrimination, reinforced in some countries by outdated laws that make leprosy ground’s for divorce, prevent people from with the disease from participatiing in public life or place other restrictions on their activities”
Sasakawa said as WHO Goodwill Ambassador,he has seen how leprosy has marginalised individuals particularly women and children vulnerable to the social and economic consequences of the disease and expressed confidence that” the WHO Global Leprosy Strategy for 2021-2030 wouldl generate renewed momentum,
The World Leprosy day is observed internationally every year on the last Sunday of each January to increase the public awareness of Leprosy or Hansen’s Disease.
