The Supreme Court has asked the government to explain why lakhs of people continue to be afflicted by leprosy and suffer social stigma despite the cure being available since 1981.
A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Vikramjit Sen has asked the Centre and the State governments to respond to a petition seeking availability and administration of medicines to leprosy patients, especially pregnant women, at primary healthcare centres in a dignified manner.
The petitioner, Prakash Sinha, sought provisions in both government and private educational institutions to admit children of leprosy patients, facilities and colonies where homeless patients can receive care and cure.
The court, in its order, put on record the submission by the petitioner’s counsel Colin Gonsalves that patients are suffering indignity and social stigma despite the availability of an effective cure in the form of Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) available since 1981.
“It is averred in the petition that they are not allowed to have education, sanitary benefits, community-based rehabilitation as a result of which they are driven to streets and eventually turn to begging,” Justice Misra observed in the order passed recently.
The court directed the government to respond to the petition alleging that had it not been for official “apathy,” millions suffering from leprosy would have been cured and not faced social ostracism. The Bench asked the government to file its response in four weeks.
