It is a disease of low contagiousness, not inheritable, effectively curable with a treatment consisting of several drugs whose duration ranges from six to twelve months. Its early treatment prevents disability. Leprosy has been a disease stigmatized by society and throughout human history, continues to be accompanied by ignorance, fear, myths, and superstitions that often reduce the possibility of early diagnosis and effective treatment. That is why it is considered one of the primary causes of disability and mutilation.

According to estimates, 25% of patients who are not detected and treated early develop insensitivity and even severe deformities of the hands and feet, which become a serious disadvantage in daily life. The disease itself does not limit the patient’s ability to work; it is the stigma and social discrimination that make it more difficult for people affected by the disease to continue their usual tasks and lead a completely normal life. Disabilities caused by late diagnosis are the only cause of physical, psychological, and occupational limitations, which, if not corrected in time, can lead these people to marginalization and social exclusion.

Source of reference: https://www.dahwsuramerica.org/es/nuestro-enfoque/lepra/ on August 24, 2022