In an exhortation, after concluding the Sunday Angelus prayer, the Supreme Pontiff pointed out that it is necessary to work together for the full integration of these people, overcoming the discrimination associated with a condition that affects many, especially in more depressed social contexts.

For his part, the interim prefect of the Department for the Service of Integral Human Development, Cardinal Michael Czerny, issued a statement in which he highlighted the incidence of leprosy globally, with a number of patients estimated between three and four million by the World Health Organization.

In this sense, he pointed out that 127 thousand new cases were reported in 2021, a significantly lower figure compared to the previous year, although he specified that the decrease can be attributed to a lower level of detection and information during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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