Calling for an increased empowerment of affected people, Ansari said: "The focus has to be on the under-served population and inaccessible areas to improve access and coverage of treatment. We should concentrate on innovative solutions to reducing the leprosy burden. This needs to be accompanied by a reduction, if not elimination, of the socio-economic challenges related to the disease."
Zhang said: "Health is a pre-requisite for human survival and development. It is the basic goal of the human beings. With all colleagues in the world, leprosy workers in China will continue working for common goal of eliminating the disease globally as early as possible, building better living conditions, and promoting progress of human civilisation."
"This award," he said, "belongs to leprosy workers in China, India and the world, and to people in pursuit of truth, love and peace, like Mahatma Gandhi."
Dongre said health education is the most important aspect of eradication and to remove misconception about the disease.
It is because of lack of education that a patient hides it in the initial stage that results in deformities, which is the reason behind the stigma.
Updated on: February 16, 2014 8:38 IST
