Vatican City (Fides Service) - The 50th world day of solidarity with leprosy sufferers on 26 January which is the centenary of the birth of its founder French author Raoul Follerau, focuses new attention on old problems of poverty, exclusion, and suffering lived by so many people all over the world.
According to figures issued by AIFO, the Italian Association of Friends of Raoul Follereau, and NGO working in 30 different countries, in 2001 760,695 new cases were registered, more than one every minute. The report says that 73% of the sufferers live in India. Brazil is the second country with the highest number of cases followed by Nepal, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Congo. In Italy 10/12 new cases are reported every year. Leprosy is curable but as yet no vaccine ahs been produced. The missionary Church has always offered assistance, material as well as spiritual, to lepers. Today 787 centres for leprosy patients are run by Catholic institutions.
The Church runs 787 centres for leprosy sufferers.
By continent. In brackets countries with most Catholic centres
Africa: 378 (Senegal 137)
America: 55 (total)
America central continental: 10 (Mexico 7)
America central Antilles: 6 (Haiti 3)
America del South: 39 (Brazil 20)
Asia: 348 (India 277)
Europe: 4 (Italy 2)
Oceania: 2 (Papua New Guinea 2). (S.L.) (Fides Service 25/1/2003)