Chief medical officer Kangpokpi Dr Lamkhoneng Haokip said that the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign (SLAC) is being launched nationwide to increase awareness about various aspects of leprosy and to remove the stigma associated with leprosy.

She continued that observation of the day provides an opportunity to create mass awareness about Leprosy and educate people, and remove misconceptions.

District leprosy officer, District Leprosy Unit Kangpokpi Dr Eunice Haokip said that Leprosy is a disease that has been present in society since ancient times, and it is potential to cause permanent disability in the human body while the stigma associated with it makes a disease of public health concern.

She continued that the National Leprosy Eradication Program (NLEP) was launched in the year 1983 and the focused and intensified efforts under this programme have led to the achievement of elimination level in the country.

She said that the country's current prevalence rate stands at 0.57/10,000 population but the NLEP aims at complete eradication of the disease.

She also pointed out that Manipur with a prevalence rate of 0.6/10,000 population currently has achieved an elimination level but few cases do exist while the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign conducted every year aims to achieve a complete elimination level.

She further said that the last case of Leprosy in Kangpokpi district was detected in the year 2017 while adding that “we have been organizing the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign every year to achieve complete eradication of Leprosy.”