Get your facts right – “The biggest disease today is not leprosy but it is the feeling of being unwanted!”

Sometimes, social stigma can be harder than the condition itself and leprosy is a clear example of this.

Leprosy is a contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities. It is one of those diseases which is not talked about often and it is perhaps because of this that there are many myths about leprosy that are perpetuated.

Here are some common leprosy myths – With World Leprosy Day just gone by, let’s vow to not just get more aware but also educate people and help eradicate these myths!
– Leprosy is not treatable
This is the biggest myth of it all – Once someone is diagnosed with leprosy it is definitely possible to treat the disease. It is only when people don’t approach a doctor immediately that the condition worsens but leprosy is definitely curable and can be done so when diagnosed and treated on time.

– Isolating people with leprosy
Leprosy is contagious – however what most people do not recognize is that once treatment for leprosy start, the risk of the disease being contagious is curbed. It then becomes very unnecessary to isolate someone with leprosy and it is nothing more than a mere ill-conceived notion.

– Leprosy can cause parts of your body to fall off
It is widely believed that leprosy can cause your fingers, toes and limbs to drop off – leprosy causes nerve damage which can lead to compromised sensory and motor functions in the body but this does not mean that leprosy causes these parts to fall off!

– Leprosy has been completely eradicated
No – leprosy is still a problem in the world and so is the social stigmas attached with it, which makes it difficult for people to approach doctors to get treated. It is only by fighting these prejudices that we will encourage more people to come forward and get treated for Leprosy.
– Leprosy affects only older people
Leprosy is caused by bacteria – Almost 95% of the world’s population is naturally immune to this bacterium but when the person is not immune, the bacterium develops into the disease.  Leprosy usually has a longer incubation period which is perhaps why you would see many older people suffering from the disease but leprosy can affect a person irrespective of their age.

References:

https://www.lepra.org.uk/News/six-leprosy-myths-busted