‘ELIMINATING LEPROSY IS THE ONLY WORK I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE IN MY LIFETIME’—-MAHATMA GANDHI
The ‘World leprosy day’ is observed on the last Sunday of January worldwide and was earmarked so by a French humanitarian RAOUL FOLLEREAU as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi Ji who had a great sympathy for the lepers.
The goal being to raise public awareness regarding this disease (also called as HANSEN’S DISEASE), including the medical and social implications of it and the rights of the persons affected.
GERHARD ARMAUER HANSEN was a Norwegian scientist who discovered MYCOBACTERIUM LEPRAE (the Bacillus which causes Leprosy) in 1873.The word LEPROSY has been derived from the Greek ‘Lepra’ which stands for a disease that makes the skin scaly.
Leprosy is a well-known disease since the days of Susruta and Charkas.It is transmitted via droplets from nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with untreated patients. Untreated leprosy can cause progressive and permanent damage to the skin,mucosa,nerves, limbs and eyes.It can give rise to different forms of disabilities too. Some superstitious and unscientific people still discriminate and socially exclude lepers. Children and women are more vulnerable to the social and economic consequences of this disease.
The disease can be conquered by early detection and treatment by multi-drug therapy (MDT).YOHEI SASAKAWA(WHO goodwill ambassador for Leprosy elimination said,” I believe we will achieve a world without Leprosy one day’.
Dr.Sunil Chopra, Ludhiana,India . 9815574644