According to Xinhua News Agency, China's General Administration for Quality Supervision (AQSIQ), Inspection and Quarantine has decided to permit the entry of the foreigners afflicted with leprosy and their families from July 20.

AQSIQ noted that the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution on June 18 that leprosy patients should enjoy equal rights with other people, and China has signed it. To fulfill this commitment, the Chinese government made a decision that foreigners with leprosy and their families were to be allowed entry into China from July 20.

Leprosy is a kind of chronic infectious disease caused by the leprosy bacillus. Leprosy patients have in the past been deprived of effective treatment because of a lack of understanding of the disease. Most leprosy patients suffer physical deformities which scare the public and can cause social prejudice and discrimination against these patients and their families.

Modern medical treatments can prevent and cure leprosy. According to World Health Organization statistics, more than 95 percent of people have immunity from leprosy bacillus, and even long-term exposure to leprosy patients will not cause the disease. The joint drug therapy recommended by World Health Organization is used around the globe and can totally cure leprosy patients.

If leprosy patients take the appropriate medicine for two weeks, most of their leprosy bacillus will be killed and the possibility of infecting others will be greatly reduced. Leprosy patients in leprosy-endemic countries are allowed to participate in all kinds of social activities, as in China.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the government has made a sustained effort to ensure the basic rights of leprosy patients, healers and their families.

(China.org.cn by Ma Yujia July 24, 2008)