World Leprosy Day is observed on the last Sunday in January. The next World Leprosy Day will be taking place on 27th January 2019. The day was chosen by French humanitarian Raoul Follereau in 1953 to coincide with the anniversary of Mahatma Ghandi’s death on 30th January 1948.
World Leprosy Day raises awareness of a disease that many people believe to be extinct. Today it is not just the disease that is forgotten, but the people too.
What is leprosy?
Leprosy is an infectious disease of the skin and nerves which, if not diagnosed and treated quickly, can result in debilitating disabilities. The effects of leprosy are exacerbated by the negative stigma surrounding the disease.
In countries like India and Bangladesh, people are subjected to discrimination and social exclusion simply because they are, or have previously been, affected by leprosy. In India there are still 17 laws which discriminate against people with this disease.
You can find more on leprosy and what can be done against it on:
- www.awarenessdays.com
- the website of Leprosy Mission International
and on
Published in GI-Mail 01/2019 (English edition). Sign up for GI-Mail here. 
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