World Leprosy Day 2015

LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A patient affected by leprosy combs her hair inside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Although prevalence of leprosy in Nepal fell to below 1 in 10,000 people since October 2009, a total of 3225 new cases were diagnosed in the last year. Nepal's predominantly Hindu culture means that leprosy, also called "Hansen's disease," is considered by many communities to be a punishment for sins committed in former lives; people affected by leprosy in Nepal still suffer from stigma and discrimination, in addition to the long-term disabilities and other health affects resulting from leprosy. New cases of leprosy continue to occur disproportionally in the South East Asian Region (SEAR), which includes Nepal, with the region carrying 72% of the global leprosy burden. According to a recent study by the International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations (ILEP), Nepal is one of several countries with laws in place which discriminate against people affected by leprosy. (Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images)