By Emmanuella Oghenetega
World Leprosy Day (WLD) is a global healthcare event which is meant to raise awareness of leprosy, also called Hansen’s disease. It is a day recognised on the last Sunday of every January, and has been so for the past 72 years.
The theme for this year’s World Leprosy Day (WLD) is: Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma.
To commemorate the 2026 World Leprosy Day, The Leprosy Mission Nigeria, paid a visit to the Alheri community in Yangoji Village, Kwali Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, a community which is a home to about 500 people, made up primarily of person’s affected by leprosy and their families, to train persons affected with leprosy on how to care for their leprosy ulcers and provide ulcer care kits to them.
Speaking at the community, Chinwendu Jeffrey, the Thematic Lead for Communications of the Leprosy Mission Nigeria, said that contrary to popular and age long perception, Hansen’s disease is in fact curable with the Multi-drug therapy, and is not easily transmitted.
He revealed that within a week of actively taking medication, affected persons are no longer able to transmit the disease, therefore not posing as a risk to anyone they come in contact with.
Jeffrey elaborated that the disease is caused mainly by a bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae and is not spread through casual contact.
He stated that just as the theme of the 2026 World Leprosy Day, a major concern and challenge is the stigma associated with Hansen’s disease.
Speaking on some of the efforts made by the mission to reintegrate fully treated persons into the mainstream society, he said that a lot of work is still needed in the creation of more awareness and sensitization of the general public.
He stated also, that most affected persons even after treatment remain in the community, as it contains individuals they can relate with, people of like minds and environment, hence why settlements like this exist.
Speaking, Musa Mohammed, one of the affected persons residing in the community, disclosed that within the community, there is nothing like stigmatization, “that is only on the outside”. He said that stigmatization can only be encountered when an affected person looks unkept. He advised, that people take their baths and wear clean clothes
Also speaking, Baba Shinkoso, another affected persons residing in the community, revealed that he has been trained by the Leprosy Mission Nigeria on how to treat the ulcers of the affected persons in the community. He also said that thanks to the mission he has received treatment and no longer has the Hansen’s disease.
