Elimination Leprosy

WHO GOODWILL AMBASSADOR’S NEWSLETTER February 2015 • Number 72 FOR THE • Leprosy is curable EliminationOF • Free treatment is available Leprosy • Social discrimination has no place Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addresses the Global Appeal 2015 launching ceremony in Tokyo on January 27. MESSAGE CONTENTS Make World Leprosy Day a U.N. Day On January 27, the annual Global Appeal to End globe on the occasion of World Leprosy Day. But Stigma and Discrimination against People Affected somehow I wonder if they really add up to a global by Leprosy was launched in Japan for the first time. movement. Individual events in different countries The appeal, which is announced on or near World and regions only reach so far. If we want more Leprosy Day, is the tenth in a series dating back people around the world to know about this day, to 2006. This year’s appeal was endorsed by the and to share in the desire to see both leprosy and Message 1 International Council of Nurses, a federation of the discrimination it causes eliminated from the Global Appeal 2015 more than 130 national nurses’ associations. world, is there not more that we could be doing? Launch ceremony 2 It was the French poet, journalist, lawyer Why don’t we think about having World 3 and philosopher Raoul Follereau who started Leprosy Day made an official U.N.-designated Speeches World Leprosy Day in 1954, on the last Sunday in day, like World Cancer Day, for example? We Symposium 4 January. This year it was being observed for the already have a U.N. resolution on elimination Imperial Palace visit 7 62nd time. According to his book Love One Another, of discrimination against persons affected by Follereau had been talking to a young priest whose leprosy, together with accompanying principles Literature event 8 suggestion for a day of prayer “gave me the idea of and guidelines. Making World Leprosy Day a Photo exhibition 9 organizing an annual demonstration on a world U.N.-designated day would, I feel, enhance its Video campaign 10 scale.” This was intended, Follereau said, to be “a international status, give fresh impetus to our sort of universal mobilization of hearts and minds efforts, whether governmental or non-governmental, Ambassador’s Journal Japan 11 in favor of those whom I call the saddest of the and organically connect them up into a global world’s oppressed minorities, and a revolt against movement. I also dream, however, of the day when News the cruel and often tragic fate reserved for them.” World Leprosy Day is no longer necessary. International Day of I know that every year there are awareness- Women 12 raising events that take place in many parts of the — Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador From the Editors 12 1 GLOBAL APPEAL 2015 FTELFTEL Feb 15 • No. 72 From Tokyo to the World Nurses back annual call for an end to leprosy-related discrimination. Over 280 people from 11 countries gathered in it causes have been taking place throughout Japan, Tokyo for the launch of Global Appeal 2015 to together with a social media campaign urging End Stigma and Discrimination against People the public to “Think Now Hansen-byo” (Think Affected by Leprosy on January 27. Now in Leprosy Now). its tenth year, the annual appeal initiated by Goodwill Ambassador Yohei Sasakawa in 2006 PRIME MINISTER’S PLEDGE was being launched in Japan for the first time. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, together Endorsing this year’s appeal was the with his wife Akie Abe, headed the list of International Council of Nurses (ICN) and its dignitaries attending the ceremony, who included member associations, who represent 16 million Japanese Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare nurses worldwide. Yasuhisa Shiozaki, former president of Timor- Nurses form the world’s largest group of Leste Dr. José Manuel Ramos-Horta, and former primary care givers and ICN President Dr. secretary-general of ASEAN Dr. Surin Pitsuwan. Judith Shamian told the ceremony: “It is our In his remarks, Abe acknowledged that professional and ethical duty to fight stigma and Japan’s past policy toward leprosy had severely discrimination wherever it happens, to ensure restricted the human rights of people affected that nurses are competent to provide care and by the disease, but said that the government had counseling to patients and their families, and since offered an apology and compensation. It was to uphold the human rights and fundamental now focused on ensuring that elderly residents of freedoms of those affected by leprosy.” national sanatoriums can live “comfortably and peacefully” and on bringing an end to stigma and discrimination associated with leprosy. “It is our professional Following the speeches and short video messages from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki and ethical duty to fight Moon and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, stigma and discrimination.” the text of the Global Appeal was read out by 13 people. They included Vagavathali Narsappa, president of India’s Association of People With previous appeals launched in countries Affected by Leprosy, Kristie Lane Ibardaloza, including India, Brazil, and Indonesia, where a nurse at the Culion Sanitarium and General leprosy continues to loom large on the health Hospital in the Philippines, Thiago Flores, a agenda, the Goodwill Ambassador explained why coordinator of the Movement for the the 2015 event was being held in Japan—even Reintegration of Persons Affected by Hansen’s though the country sees only a few cases of the Disease in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, Kazuo Mori, disease each year. chairman of Japan’s National Hansen’s Disease “The decision, he said, “came from our desire Sanatorium Residents’ Association, and Paulus to encourage the Japanese public, especially the Manek, the head of PerMaTa, an organization of younger generation, to take notice of the issues people affected by leprosy in Indonesia. surrounding leprosy and to take this opportunity “Our message is clear: leprosy can be cured. to think about the disease’s deeper meaning.” Drugs kill the bacteria. Early diagnosis and Along these lines, a number of related events to treatment prevent disability. There is no reason to raise awareness of leprosy and the discrimination isolate anyone with the disease.” n 2 FTELFTEL Feb 15 • No. 72 ‘We Reflected on This History’ Prime minister, other speakers call attention to the negative impact of discrimination. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan Dr. José Ramos-Horta, 1996 Nobel Peace Prize In Japan, because of past Laureate, Former President of Timor-Leste policy, the human rights There is no more noble of people affected by cause than embracing our leprosy were severely unfortunate fellow human restricted. We reflected beings, our brothers and on this history and sisters, beloved children around 20 years ago there of God, afflicted by this was a major change in illness and, for this reason, policy. Former patients cast aside by society. As a were offered an apology and compensation, and result of the joint efforts as part of the settlement a National Hansen’s of my own government, supported by WHO Disease Museum was established. and the Nippon Foundation, my country, Timor- Today there are over 1,700 former patients Leste, with less than one case per 10,000 people, living in the nation’s sanatoriums. Their average eliminated leprosy a public health problem in age is over 83 and an increasing number require 2010. However, countries like Brazil, India and nursing care, without which their daily lives Indonesia still have tens of thousands of new would be difficult. We will make efforts to help cases. The good news is that the new cases in people still in sanatoriums live comfortably and these countries are gradually diminishing, leading peacefully, and to resolve discrimination and us to be hopeful that with greater compassion and prejudice against leprosy. effort, leprosy can be eliminated in all afflicted countries around the world. Yasuhisa Shiozaki, Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Former Secretary-General, In the past, Japan had a Association of Southeast Asian Nations policy of segregation that There is a cure for leprosy, caused pain and suffering it is free, and it is readily for patients. On behalf of available. However, the the government I would stigma of leprosy causes like to issue a heartfelt many to refrain from apology to all patients seeking help, because and people affected by they are afraid of having leprosy and say that we people find out about their are doing what we can to bring about an end condition. This in turn to stigma and discrimination by educating the impacts our ability to eliminate leprosy. In South public about leprosy. and Southeast Asia, home to more people affected by leprosy than any other region in the world, this Dr. Judith Shamian, President, International is a serious problem. Council of Nurses Discrimination against Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador people with leprosy for Leprosy Elimination represents a serious In countries such as Japan, violation of their human where leprosy is no longer rights. As nurses, a medical problem, the we understand the disease is for the most importance of equitable part considered a thing access to health services of the past. But I know of and of educating the many individuals who, public about this disease. The stigma and long after they have been discrimination felt by individuals can be cured, find that their major barriers to utilizing health services for families are still unable to accept them out of fear prevention, diagnosis and treatment. In addition, that they themselves will be discriminated against. stigma and discrimination marginalizes those And although people are no longer compulsorily with the disease and affects their ability to fulfill confined within the walls of the leprosy sanatoria, necessary culturally expected and economically years of social rejection that continue to this day productive roles in society.

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