When Stigma Spreads Faster Than Disease, Children Pay The Price
On World Leprosy Day 2026, global health leaders and child advocates are renewing calls to protect children’s rights to health, education and dignity — focusing on how stigma around leprosy continues to harm young lives and limit opportunities for affected families.
Observed on the last Sunday in January, World Leprosy Day aims to raise awareness of the disease, leprosy, and highlight that while the infection is curable with available treatment, stigma remains the greatest barrier preventing children and their families from accessing care and living normal lives.
The 2026 campaign theme, “Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma”, underscores how misconceptions about the disease — including beliefs that it is highly contagious, incurable, or caused by moral failings — lead to discrimination that affects children’s rights. Most worryingly, stigma keeps children from attending school, isolating them socially and depriving them of essential education and development.
Health experts note that early diagnosis and free antibiotic treatment can prevent disability and transmission, yet fear of social exclusion discourages many families from seeking care. This delay can result in long-term disability and deepen social marginalization for children, violating their right to health and full participation in society.
In addition to medical care, there is also need to emphasize the importance of addressing the social consequences of leprosy. Discrimination not only affects access to schooling, but can also lead to loss of family support, community exclusion, and trauma that undermines children’s emotional well-being.
The World Health Organization and partners, such as governments and civil society groups, are called upon to scale up efforts to eliminate both the disease and the stigma that surrounds it. This includes educational campaigns to correct myths, training for health and education professionals to support affected children, and policies that ensure no child is left behind because of a treatable disease.
World Leprosy Day 2026 is not only a reminder of medical progress — including widespread access to curative therapy — but also a public call to protect children’s rights to health, education and a life free from discrimination.
