World Leprosy Day 2024: Theme, History, Concept, Symptoms, Quotes

World Leprosy Day is observed every year on the last Sunday of January. It means, the World Leprosy Day 2024 will be observed on January 28, 2024.

Leprosy, commonly known as Hansen’s illness, is celebrated to make people aware about this.

The theme of World Leprosy Day 2024 is yet to be revealed, however, it was “Act Now. End Leprosy” last year.

World Leprosy Day 2024 Date

Leprosy Concept

Mycobacterium leprae causes leprosy, commonly known as Hansen’s disease, which is a chronic infectious illness. The illness mostly affects the body, nervous system, respiratory tract mucous membranes, and eyesight.

Leprosy is believed to impact people of all ages, from infants to the elderly. Leprosy is treatable, and early treatment can help avoid disability.

World Leprosy Day History

Raoul Follereau, a French philanthropist and writer, founded World Leprosy Day in 1954 to increase public awareness and drew the mind to the matter that leprosy may be avoided, treated, and healed. It is commemorated with the goal of increasing public awareness and understanding of leprosy, as well as altering views that denigrate and exclude those who are impacted by the illness.

The bacillus Mycobacterium leprae causes leprosy, commonly known as Hansen’s disease. The sickness was termed after Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen, a Norway specialist who established that the condition is caused by germs and is not inherited. World Leprosy Day is one of the important days in January.

Leprosy & its Symptoms 

According to the World Health Organization, leprosy is an infectious skin and nerve disease that can also lead to depression (WHO). Red skin patches with decreased feeling, stiffness, and feet or hand trembling are present; these are some of the signs of leprosy.

Leprosy has a five-year incubation period, with manifestations appearing after one year. When an infected individual sneezes or coughs, the illness spreads by droplets from the nose or mouth. Other signs and symptoms include joint discomfort, blisters or rashes on the skin, a loss of touch feeling, and pins and needles.

More than 2 lakh cases in 2018 

The World Health Organization (WHO) also stated the objective for this year is to eradicate leprosy through spreading knowledge about the illness and its cure. According to the WHO, more than 2.08 lakh instances of leprosy were identified globally in 2018. The instances were discovered in 159 countries throughout the world. The incidents were estimated to affect 2 individuals out of every 1000 people.

Despite direct and regular contact with untreated patients, leprosy is likely spread through fluids from the mouth and nose.

World Leprosy Day 2024 Quotes

• “I took up leprosy work not to help anyone, but to overcome that fear in my life. That it worked out well for others was a by-product. But the fact is I did it to overcome fear.” (Baba Amte)
• “I repeat that the poor, the sufferers from leprosy, the rejected, the alcoholics, whom we serve, are beautiful people. Many of them have wonderful personalities. The experience which we have by serving them, we must pass on to people who have not had that wonderful experience.” (Mother Teresa)
• “A Venezuelan dictator once decided to stop leprosy. He saw that most lepers in his country were also beggars. By the simple expedient of collecting and destroying all the beggars in Venezuela, an end was put to leprosy in that country.” (L. Ron Hubbard)
• “I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus.” (Mother Teresa)
• “Hansen’s disease” – “that’s the other modern name, I guess, for leprosy” – “Hansen’s disease was so rare in the America that in 40 years only 900 people were afflicted. Suddenly, in the past three years, America has more than 7,000 cases of leprosy” (Lou Dobbs)

FAQs