Nippon Foundation launches Global Appeal 2019 to end stigma against leprosy patients

The Nippon Foundation on Wednesday organised its annual event, Global Appeal 2019, to campaign against the stigma and discrimination against leprosy patients.

The event was organised here in collaboration with Sasakawa-India Leprosy Foundation (S-ILF).

"At a 'Dialogue on Leprosy', held as part of the Global Appeal 2019, discussion was focussed on former Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra's historic verdict on leprosy and the way forward," a joint statement by Nippon Foundation and S-ILF said.

A bench led by Justice Misra in September last year directed the states and union territories to undertake awareness programmes on the curability of leprosy and said that there should not be any discrimination or isolation of leprosy patients in treatment and education.

"The appeal was read in the presence of the Union Minister for Law, Ravi Shankar Prasad, and John Denton, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce. It aims at bringing international attention to the stigma and unjust treatment that still affects those affected by this fully curable disease," the statement added.

In recent months, other than the Supreme Court judgment, the Ministry of Social Justice has taken concrete steps to ensure that the difficulties faced by leprosy affected people for both finger print and retina identification for Aadhaar cards are overcome, the statement said.

--IANS

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