Minister to fight for leprosy patients

Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss has taken note of HT report Law bars leprosy-afflicted from driving, January 31

Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss has taken note of HT report Law bars leprosy-afflicted from driving, January 31. (HT had reported that despite the Centre’s claim of achieving leprosy elimination status — defined as less than 1 case per 10,000 population— in 29 states, lives of the leprosy-afflicted are little different from those who lived in the dark ages.

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“The article was an eye-opener even for me. The government is committed to rolling back policies that discriminate against people with leprosy. Like the Bill to protect the rights of people living with HIV, we need one to de-stigmatise leprosy and ensure the human rights of people with the disease are protected,” Ramadoss said at the ninth Editors’ Conference on Social Sector Issues.