On World Leprosy Day, the Nippon Foundation in collaboration with Inter-Parliamentary Union and Sasakawa-India Leprosy Foundation (S-ILF) today organised their annual event Global Appeal 2017 to end stigma and discrimination against persons affected by the disease.
S-ILF was established at the initiative of Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy elimination.
Leprosy is still a major concern as almost 60 per cent of the world's cases are reported in India.
Besides Parliamentarians, the other dignitaries included Yohei Sasakawa, Mr Saber Hossain Chowdhury, MP, Bangladesh Awami League and President, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) as well as other IPU members from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Laos, all of whom came together to fight the inequalities faced by leprosy patients across South East Asia.
Calling for a Global Appeal to eradicate leprosy from the world and end discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, Sasakawa said, "This year the Inter-Parliamentary Union has joined us in this Global Appeal. It is important to enforce a 'No Discrimination' policy."
"Active participation of all stakeholders present today, including the media, is required to win the war against leprosy. But the journey will not be over until discrimination against leprosy-affected people is finally ended," he added.
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