‘ Don ’t Forget Leprosy ’ Campaign Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination answers questions from Patricia Soares, a guest at the launch of the ‘Don’t Forget Leprosy’ campaign. They are with Takahiro Nanri, Executive Director of the Sasakawa Health Foundation. Credit: Cecilia Russell By Cecilia RussellJOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, Aug 4 2021 (IPS) A visit to a leprosy facility in Korea with his father, Ryoichi Sasakawa, spurred Yohei Sasakawa to dedicate his life to eliminating both the disease and discrimination of those affected. He was speaking in an emotional pre-recorded address ahead of his 20th anniversary as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination and at the launch of a 10-month ‘Don’t Forget Leprosy’ campaign by the Sasakawa Health Foundation Initiative. Sasakawa said while he had achieved much in the 20 years, including getting the UN General Assembly to adopt the guidelines for eliminating discrimination of people affected by leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, the COVID-19 pandemic threatened the success of an international campaign to eradicate the disease. In the past 18 months, while the world grappled with the pandemic, there was an estimated 30% to 50% decrease in detecting new leprosy cases. This could lead to increased transmission of the disease and more cases of disability, the webinar heard. In many communities, protocols, including lockdowns, had made it difficult to access treatment. This resulted in a loss of livelihoods and exacerbat...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: COVID-19 Development & Aid Featured Global Headlines Health Human Rights Humanitarian Emergencies Inequity TerraViva United Nations Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) leprosy Nippon Foundation Sasakawa Health Fou Source Type: news