World Leprosy Day 2022: Leprosy is curable but people who suffer from leprosy still experience stigma and discrimination

30 January marks World Leprosy Day. Leprosy is also sometimes known as Hansen’s Disease. Some people believed the illness is hereditary and a punishment from God, but really Leprosy is caused by bacteria. There is effective treatment, yet Indonesia has not been able to eradicate the disease. Why?

How has the stigma of leprosy lasts so long? Source: Source: bastmanography/Creative Commoms

The team at KBR 68 H visited Makassar in Sulawesi to speak with people who have suffered the physical, social, economic and emotional impact of having leprosy in Indonesia.

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Why does the stigma of leprosy impact on Indonesia’s ability to eradicate the disease? Source: Source: bastamanography/Creative Commons