Letters | As the world fights Covid-19, leprosy sufferers need support too
- Pandemic-induced disruption has already resulted in far fewer cases being detected, in a disease that can lead to permanent disability if treatment is delayed
- Awareness-raising efforts that help to fight the discrimination attached to this disease have also stalled
The last Sunday of January is World Leprosy Day. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, it is important that we do not forget other diseases, including leprosy.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. Each year, around 200,000 new cases are reported globally.
Today an effective treatment exists in the form of multidrug therapy, and with early detection and treatment, the disease can be cured without complications. But if treatment is delayed, leprosy can cause progressive impairment and lead to permanent disability.
There are an estimated 3 to 4 million people living with some form of disability due to leprosy. This, together with deep-seated fears and misconceptions about the disease, has subjected people affected by leprosy and even their family members to severe discrimination, which continues to this day.
Since becoming WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination in 2001, I have visited some 120 countries to see the situation for myself. This has led me to think of leprosy in terms of a motorcycle: the front wheel symbolises curing the disease, and the back wheel represents eliminating discrimination. Unless both wheels are turning together, we will not reach our ultimate goal of zero leprosy.
As regards the front wheel, efforts against the disease, including new-case detection, have been badly disrupted because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, the number of new cases reported was down some 37 per cent year on year, according to the World Health Organization, largely due to the impact of Covid-19.