Shekhawat calls for integrating leprosy cured into society

New Delhi, Oct 4 (UNI) Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today underscored the need to integrate those cured of leprosy into the mainstream of society by educating people that leprosy is not a communicable disease.

In this context, he appealed to corporate houses and voluntary organisations to create more job opportunities for leprosy cured persons and their families so that they could lead a life of dignity and not live on alms.

Despite the success achieved in eradication of leprosy, "we cannot remain oblivious to the problems of social stigma and discrimination which force the leprosy cured persons to spend their lives in exclusion, loneliness and ignominy," the Vice President said while inaugurating the "2nd National Conference on Integration and Empowerment of People Affected by Leprosy" here today.

The day-long conference was organised by the National Forum for Eradication of Leprosy.

Underlining the need for making sustained efforts to change the social image of leprosy, Mr Shekhawat said "with a view to sensitise people to treat the cured persons with love, dignity and empathy, we need to educate people that leprosy is not a communicable disease and clear their misgivings." For this, he said necessary legislation needed to be framed and policies and strategies adopted that may enable the leprosy cured persons to get their fundamental right of living with dignity by providing them basic needs like education, medical care, housing and means to earn their livelihood.

Expressing concern that even the healthy offsprings of such persons faced innumerable difficulties in getting education and employment, he said "we have to kindle a feeling among those suffering from leprosy that they need not live on alms, rather it is their right to live a life of dignity." Underlining further the need to create social awareness about the fact that leprosy was not a communicable disease, the Vice-President said the masses need to be sensitised to treat the cured persons with love, dignity and empathy.

Citing that personalities like Mahatma Gandhi and Baba Amte have proved this by personally tending and treating the leprosy patients, Mr Shekhawat said his own wife, Mrs Suraj Kanwar regularly visited the Sarthaka Manav Kushathashram at Jaipur taking food and other gift items and spending time to listen to their problems. He said he himself had visited the ashram on various occasions and each visit gave him inspiration to work for the well-being of the deprived.

He said the Government of India was deeply committed to leprosy eradication and to the social and vocational rehabilitation of the cured persons. The number of leprosy-affected persons, which was 60 persons per 10,000 in the mid-1980s, had come down to even less than one per 10,000 now.

He appreciated the dedicated work preformed by the doctors, nurses and social workers in providing them not only the medical treatment but also the much-needed psychological and social support to them.

Mr Yohei Sasakawa, World Health Organisation (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Elimination of Leprosy and Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, presided over the inaugural session.

Dr S K Nooruddin, former Chief of the WHO Leprosy Mission and President of the Leprosy Elimination Alliance, and Dr P K Gopal, President of the National Forum for Leprosy Eradication, also spoke.

A large number of leprosy cured persons from all over the country are participating in the conference.

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