World Leprosy Day
The last Sunday of January
World Leprosy Day is an occasion to increase public awareness about the disease and bring out a feeling of solidarity towards people suffering from it.
Spreading awareness helps reduce discrimination
As leprosy in its latter stages causes deformities of the face and body, people suffering from it are often discriminated against; and as it is highly infectious, they are socially ostracized. However, with the development of Multidrug Therapy (MDT), leprosy is now curable.
Helping people with leprosy
Since 2001, Udhavum Ullangal has used World Leprosy Day to focus specially on the needs of people with leprosy.
We distribute financial aid and items such as dhotis, sarees, bed sheets, school uniforms, sewing machines, and kitchen vessels amongst families of leprosy affected people, leprosy colonies, and the Government Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre, Paranur.
Part of year-round efforts to help the leprosy affected
The World Leprosy Day activities are part of year-round efforts to help leprosy affected people. These efforts include…
- Helping the leprosy-affected with self-employment, by supporting their self-help groups with the aid of Ramakrishna Mutt.
- Distributing monthly provisions (since 2008) to 50 families in which breadwinners are affected by leprosy.