World Leprosy Day 2023 -

Highlights:

World Leprosy Day (WLD) is celebrated on 29 January this year
The international day is an opportunity to celebrate people who have experienced leprosy, and raise awareness of the disease
The 2023 theme of World Leprosy Day is “Act Now. End Leprosy”

World Leprosy Day (WLD) is observed on the last Sunday of January – 29 January this year to raise awareness about the disease (). The goal is to end leprosy-related stigma and discrimination and educate the public about the bacterial origins of leprosy and its treatable options ().

‘World Leprosy Day is a day dedicated to recognizing and raising awareness about Hansen's disease and the individuals affected by it’
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Significance of WLD

World Leprosy Day, established by journalist Raoul Follereau in 1954 to support those affected by the disease, is being celebrated for the 70th time on January 29, 2023 (, ).

This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the discovery of the causative agent of leprosy, M. leprae, by Norwegian physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen on February 28, 1873. In India, the day is celebrated on January 30 in honor of Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary ().

Top Facts on Leprosy
Leprosy is under control through modern medicine but is still endemic in few regions and awareness is the key to eliminate the disease.

What is Leprosy?

Hansen's disease, commonly referred to as leprosy, is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which can affect the skin, nerves, respiratory tract, and eyes ().

Leprosy affects individuals of all ages, from young children to the elderly, and is spread through close and frequent contact with untreated individuals through droplets from the nose and mouth ().

Combination drug therapy, introduced in the 1980s, effectively cures leprosy, but if left untreated, it can lead to progressive disability. Before the discovery that it was a bacterial infection, leprosy was often considered a divine punishment or curse ().

Misconceptions and discrimination have plagued people with leprosy throughout history, leading to isolation from society, family, and friends ().

Quiz on Leprosy
Leprosy is a disease which has left several individuals disfigured and victims of social alienation. Medications have made a big difference in controlling disfigurement and complications of the disease and preventing social stigma. Test your knowledge on this once-dreaded disease called leprosy.

Spread Awareness on Leprosy

The theme of World Leprosy Day 2023 is “Act Now. End Leprosy.” This year's World Leprosy Day theme focuses on three main messages (, ):

Elimination is possible:
We have the power and tools to stop transmission and defeat this disease.
Act now:
We need the resources and commitment to end leprosy. Prioritize leprosy elimination.
Reach the unreached:
Leprosy is preventable and treatable. Suffering from leprosy is needless.

Eliminating leprosy is possible with the right action - join the "Act Now: End Leprosy" campaign and help make zero leprosy a reality through increased commitment and prioritization from governments, decision-makers, donors, and the global health community ().

Facts on Leprosy

Eliminating leprosy is possible with the use of Multi Drug Therapy (MDT), a combination of antibiotics readily available for free worldwide (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
World Leprosy Day 2023

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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a 30% decrease in leprosy cases, with around 200,000 people diagnosed each year before the outbreak, but the disease still exists (5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy, World Leprosy Day

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Millions of people around the world live with leprosy-related disabilities, particularly in Asia, Africa, and South America (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
World Leprosy Day 2023

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Untreated leprosy can result in serious complications (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Leprosy (Hansen's disease)

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With a history dating back at least 4,000 years, leprosy is one of the oldest diseases known to mankind (6^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Leprosy Crisis In India

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However, our goal is to make this generation the one that eradicates leprosy by targeting 120 countries with zero new cases of leprosy by 2030 (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
World Leprosy Day 2023

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As of 2012, 45 countries had reported no new cases of leprosy (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
World Leprosy Day 2023

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The implementation of SDR-PEP, an antibiotic treatment that prevents the development of leprosy, has been widely adopted in 24 countries. This approach has proven to be highly effective in reducing the risk of leprosy transmission, with 99% of close contacts of leprosy patients accepting SDR-PEP as a means of prevention (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
World Leprosy Day 2023

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The cause of leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae, was discovered by Norwegian physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen only 150 years ago, yet the disease has been affecting people in India for thousands of years, with the country currently being home to 60% of the world's leprosy cases and over 1,000 leprosy colonies (6^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Leprosy Crisis In India

Go to source).

Don’t Forget Leprosy

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns have had a significant impact on individuals affected by leprosy, causing disruptions to leprosy programs ().

As a result, there has been a decrease in the number of new cases detected. However, this may be due to an increase in undiagnosed cases, which hold the potential for further transmission and development of disabilities.

Considering the disruptions caused by COVID-19, Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, launched the “Don’t Forget Leprosy”/ “Don’t Forget Hansen’s Disease” campaign in August 2021 to keep leprosy on the radar.

The campaign is working with a variety of partners, including the WHO, governments, advocacy groups, international NGOs, and academic institutions, to raise awareness and prevent the disease from being forgotten during the pandemic.

The Campaign Drive!

As we commemorate the 70th World Leprosy Day and the 150th anniversary of the discovery of leprosy's bacterial cause, this is an opportune moment to renew our efforts to achieve a leprosy-free world by addressing the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and intensifying our actions ().

This World Leprosy Day, let's take action by spreading awareness about the disease through social media using hashtags such as #WorldLeprosyDay, #LeaveNoOneBehind, #EndStigma, #ZeroDiscrimination, and #BeatLeprosy to help eliminate discrimination and reach our goal of a leprosy-free world (, ).

“En route to that goal, let us build an inclusive society where being diagnosed with leprosy, or having once had leprosy, is not an issue. Together, let us act now to end leprosy.” – Yohei Sasakawa

References:

World Leprosy Day 2023 - (https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2023/01/29/default-calendar/act-now-end-leprosy-wld-2023)
Leprosy (Hansen's disease) - (https://www.who.int/health-topics/leprosy)
Message for World Leprosy Day 2023 - (https://www.who.int/news/item/24-01-2023-message-for-world-leprosy-day-2023)
World Leprosy Day 2023, World Leprosy Day is hosted every year on the last Sunday of January - (https://www.leprosymission.org/leprosy-champions/world-leprosy-day/)
Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy, World Leprosy Day - (https://zeroleprosy.org/world-leprosy-day/)
Leprosy Crisis In India - (https://risingstaroutreach.org/about-us/leprosy/)

Source-Medindia