The President of India Ram Nath Kovind presented the International Gandhi Awards for Leprosy to Dr. N.S. Dharmashaktu under the Individual category and The Leprosy Mission Trust under the institutional category on 6 February 2020.

 

 

♦ Government has accomplished levels of leprosy elimination defined as less than one case per ten thousand population. Also, the stigma and prejudice against leprosy have been reduced considerably through the efforts taken by scientists, researchers, organizations and community workers. It should be considered that the new cases continue to occur and high-burden pockets of the disease do exist.

♦ The government is now taking measures to intensify the efforts towards early detection of leprosy cases, provide equitable access to appropriate treatment and provide integrated leprosy services in the geographically focused areas.

♦ It is also creating awareness and educate people on this disease and its different dimensions

♦ Centre also plans to empower those who have been discriminated against on account of leprosy through advocacy and information dissemination.

 

 

World Health Organization (WHO) reported that around 200,000 leprosy cases are detected globally and India accounts for more than 50% of these case every year. In 2005, Leprosy was declared eradicated in India. Followed by Brazil and Indonesia, India has the highest number of new leprosy cases in the world