Würzburg (dpa) – A disease considered eradicated in Europe and yet easily curable continues to cause suffering and disability worldwide: leprosy. On the occasion of World Leprosy Day on 29 January, the German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Aid (DAHW) points out that the disease also causes mental suffering, for example through stigma and discrimination. For example, many sick people would not get jobs or housing.

Stigma can in turn have physical consequences. “We know from our work on the ground that the stigma associated with the disease is one of the biggest obstacles in the fight against leprosy,” says DAHW in Würzburg. Stigma discourages those affected from seeking help, which delays diagnosis and treatment.

In order to support those affected, DAHW is investigating, among other things, to what extent self-help groups or lay health counselors in the community can help. Also, videos of affected people should show that leprosy can be cured and is not very contagious.

According to current knowledge, leprosy is one of the oldest human diseases. It is caused by bacteria and can be treated well with antibiotics. According to the WHO, around 200,000 people continue to fall ill each year, mainly in India and Brazil. Early treatment is important to prevent leprosy-related disabilities. If left untreated, chronic infection can lead to severe physical disabilities and severe skin, eye and nerve damage. The mortality rate is low, but according to DAHW, two to three million people worldwide live with leprosy-related disabilities. In many societies, leprosy patients have been and continue to be socially rejected.

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