Leprosy is a bacterial infection causing skin sores and nerve damage. It is not a contagious disease as was believed in the ancient times. People still believe that the infection spreads if you come in contact with a patient suffering from leprosy. It can be cured easily and early treatment avoids disability.

Collector Bishnu Charan Mallick is on an awareness campaign concerning leprosy. In a campaign on Tuesday, 19 leprosy patients were awarded for their good deeds. In this awareness campaign, the Collector even touched a little child lovingly and said that leprosy is not a contagious disease. People stay away from leprosy patients considering the disease a curse. They fear that touching a leprosy patient will infect them with the same. In the process, all leprosy patients undergo ill-treatment from family, friends and neighbourhood. He also mentioned that leprosy can be treated. A patient gets cured within 6 to 12 months depending on condition.

Leprosy is of 2 types. When discovered in the preliminary stage, it can be cured within 6 months. But if patient and his family are negligent, the disease might grow and hence it takes a year to cure such patients. But LEPROSY IS NOT CONTAGIOUS AT ALL.