There are many myths and misconceptions about leprosy. As members of the medical profession, we have the first responsibility to set the record straight.

Leprosy is a mildly infectious disease. It is not spread by casual contact. It is curable with multidrug therapy that kills the bacteria and stops the disease from spreading. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment help prevent the onset of disability and deformity associated with leprosy. There are no medical grounds for isolating a person with the disease.

Yet people with leprosy continue to face social discrimination, even after they are cured. Whole families are marginalized, sometimes with devastating results.

Drugs can cure leprosy, but only greater public awareness can end the stigma it attracts.

Without the social stigma, more people would come forward for treatment. New cases would be detected sooner and be less likely to result in disability. The burden of leprosy in the world would be reduced.

We affirm the right of people affected by leprosy to receive treatment at any hospital. We call for an end to discrimination against them and their families. We support their right to live in dignity as full members of the community with equal access to opportunities and enjoying all their human rights.

Signatories of Global Appeal 2012

Dr. José Luiz Gomes do Amaral	President, World Medical Association
Dr. Din Abazaj	President, Order of Physicians of Albania
Dr. Peter W. Carmel	President, American Medical Association
Dr. Steve Hambleton	President, Australian Medical Association
Dr. Walter Dorner	President, Austrian Medical Chamber
Dr. Nariman N. Safarli	President, Azerbaijan Medical Association
Dr. Lemye Roland	President, Association Belge des Syndicats Médicaux
Dr. Florentino de Araújo Cardoso Filho	President, Associação Médica Brasileira
Dr. John Haggies	President, Canadian Medical Association
Dr. Liu Yanfei	Secretary General and Vice President, Chinese Medical Association
Dr. Sergio Isazadr Isaza	President, Federación Médica Colombiana
Dr. Alexis Castillo Gutierrez	President, Union Medica Nacional, Costa Rica
Dr. Aka Kroo	President, Conseil national de l’ordre des medecins de la cote d’Ivoire
Dr. Mads Koch Hanse	President, Danish Medical Association
Dr. A.C. Nieuwenhuijzen Kruseman	President, Royal Dutch Medical Association
Dr. José Ramón Huerta Blanco	President, Consejo General de Colegios Médicos de España (Soria)
Dr. Timo Kaukonen	President, Finnish Medical Association
Dr. Xavier Deau	Vice President, French Medical Association
Dr. Gia Lobzhanidzes	President, Georgian Medical Association
Dr. Frank Ulrich Montgomery	President, German Medical Association
Dr. Carlos Amilcar Gómez	Secretary, Guatemala Medical Association
Dr. Claude Surena	President, Association Médicale Haitienne
Dr. José Manuel Espinal	President, Honduras Medical Association
Dr. Choi Kin	President, Hong Kong Medical Association
Dr. Margrét Aðalsteinsdóttir	President, Icelandic Medical Association
Dr. Vinay Aggarwal	President, Indian Medical Association
Dr. Prijo Sidipratomo	President, Indonesian Medical Association
Mr. George McNeice	Chief Executive Officer, Irish Medical Organisation
Dr. Leonid Eidelman	President, Israel Medical Association
Dr. Katsuyuki Haranaka	President, Japan Medical Association
Dr. Aizhan Sadykova	President, Kazakhstan Medical Association
Dr. Man Ho Kyung	President, Korean Medical Association
Dr. Peteris Apinis	President, Latvian Medical Association
Prof. Jovan Tofoski	President, Macedonian Medical Association
Dr. Ramón Murrieta Gonzalez	President, Colegio Medico de Mexico
Dr. Rosel Salomao	President, Mozambican Medical Association
Dr. Kiran Prasad Shrestha	President, Nepal Medical Association
Dr. Paul Ockelford	President, New Zealand Medical Association
Dr. Pablo Emilio Mongalo	President, Nicaragua Medical Association
Dr. Hege Gjessing	President, Norwegian Medical Association
Dr. Lili Espino Weng	Vice President, Asociacion Médica Nacional de Panama
Dr. Carmen Fajardo	Vice President, Colegio Médico del Perú
Dr. Maciej Hamankiewicz	President, Polish Chamber of Physicians and Dentists
Dr. José Manuel Silva	President, Portuguese Medical Association
Prof. Peter Kristufek	President, Slovak Medical Association
Dr. Marie Wedins	President, Swedish Medical Association
Dr. Ming-Been Lee	President, Taiwan Medical Association
Dr. Namala P. Mkopi	President, Tanzania Medical Association
Dr. Jongjate Aojanepong	President, Medical Association of Thailand
Dr. Martín Rebella	President, Sindicato Médico del Uruguay
Prof. Abdulla Khydaybergenov	President, Medical Association of Uzbekistan