Question: Consider the following statements:
(1) World Leprosy Day is observed internationally every year on the last Sunday of January to increase the public awareness of the Leprosy or Hansen’s Disease.
(2) This year it was observed on 30 January 2020.
Choose the correct one:
(a) Only(1)
(b) Only(2)
(c) Both(1) and (2)
(d) None of the above
Answer :(c)
Related facts:
- World Leprosy Day 2020 was observed on January 30 .
- World Leprosy Day is observed internationally every year on the last Sunday of January to increase the public awareness of the Leprosy or Hansen’s Disease.
- This date was chosen by French humanitarian Raoul Follereau as a tribute to the life of the Mahatma Gandhi who had compassion for people afflicted with leprosy.
- Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases in the world. It is an infectious chronic disease that targets the nervous system, especially the nerves in the cooler parts of the body:the hands, feet, and face.
- India, which has the highest burden of the disease, has reported a decreasing number of new cases for the past 2 years.
- Government of India has launched certain programs since 1955 to tackle leprosy i.e. National Leprosy Control Programm, National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign, 2018 etc.
What is leprosy?
- Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by a bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae (M. laprae).
- The symptoms of the disease occur generally after a long period of getting infection on average 5 years, as M. leprae multiplies very slowly.
- The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes.
- The signs and symptoms of leprosy is – Dark-skinned people might have light patches on the skin, while pale-skinned people have darker or reddish patches,Loss or decrease of sensation in the skin patches,/Numbness or tingling in hand or feet,Weakness of hands, feet or eyelids,Painful nerves,Swelling or lumps in the face or earlobes,Painless wounds or burns on hands or feet etc.
Links:
https://www.nhp.gov.in/world-leprosy-day-2020_pg
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/24-01-2020-message-for-world-leprosy-day-2020