Ambika Dahal/Kathmandu (Pahichan) September 3 – The number of people affected by Leprosy has reached two lakh. The worst affected district is Dhanusha. Similarly, there are other 18 affected districts these include Banke, Bardiya, Parsha, Nawalpari and Bara.

There are not leprosy patient in eight mountainous districts. Stakeholders have said that all male, female and transgender are suffering from Leprosy and there should not be discrimination to any people and there should be treatment of all affected people.

Chairman of Association for Idea Amar Bahadur Timalsena has said that as there is no mention about this disease in school curricula, there is a perception in society that it is because of the sin. Idea organized a program in Kathmandu to solicit the views on how to incorporate those issues in school curricula. Shobhakr Kandel, National Director of National Leprosy Mission informed that ten thousand health worker and five thousand teachers have been trained.

Similarly, there has been treatment of five thousand affected people and tend thousand have are rehabilitate. He said Leprosy will be eradicated from Nepal by 2035.  He said any people could be suffered from this disease and there should not be any discrimination. Secretary of National Pabson Pralad Dahal said that school curricula can play a vital role for the eradication of discrimination.

“The social stigma and prejudice could be washed away through incorporating in school education,” he added. Raj Kumar Poudel, trainer of Leprosy said this is not because of sin and religion people are affected by this disease. Official at Curriculum Development Centre Yubaraj Adhikari expressed the commitment that issues of this community will be accommodated in the curricula of class 11 and 12.