“It is time for all States concerned to make a choice: whether to keep such discriminatory laws against persons affected by leprosy in violation of international human rights standards, or to eliminate such discrimination in law without delay”, said the Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, Alice Cruz.
According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures, provided by 139 countries covering 2020, 127,558 new leprosy cases were detected around the world – a 37 per cent drop in new cases year on year.
And some countries even reported a greater than 50 per cent decrease.
However, as diagnosing and reporting have been impacted by the COVID pandemic, the real numbers may be much higher.
Though curable, without early detection and treatment, the disease can potentially lead to irreversible physical impairments and disability.
Source: https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/01/1110832
