Nayan Patel PHF, a risk management specialist has been appointed to the board of trustees at international specialist charity, Lepra, which works to beat leprosy in India, Bangladesh and Mozambique on 18th October.
Lepra is a UK-based international specialist charity that has been working to beat leprosy since 1924. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became Patron of Lepra 1952, shortly after the death of her father King George VI, who had been Lepra’s Patron since the charity was founded in 1924.
Nayan was recently bestowed with Rotary International’s highest honour granted to an individual Rotarian, the “Service Above Self” award, in recognition of his contribution to the organisation and for his extensive charitable work globally. Nayan's main objective is to make leprosy a disease of little consequence that can be easily diagnosed and treated, leaving no disability and without stigma. The cure for leprosy is Multi Drug Therapy which is administered free of cost to leprosy patients in all endemic countries.
“Although leprosy is no longer a health problem in developed countries, it continues to affect millions of people in large parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Lack of awareness, myths, social, cultural beliefs and the stigma attached to leprosy are perhaps the most pressing challenges before public health activists today” said Nayan.
Leprosy affects over 7 million of the most vulnerable people in the world, causing life-changing disabilities and attracting terrible prejudice and discrimination.
