The Millennium Development Goals have had a huge influence on international development but "little impact" on the lives of leprosy sufferers, according to The Leprosy Mission. The organisation said there was "no drive to address the inequalities and discrimination" faced by the world's leprosy sufferers, despite an estimated 10 per cent of the world's population - or 650 million people - being disabled, according to the United Nations. "People affected by leprosy face a triple blow of disease, disability and discrimination and for tens of thousands, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), launched at the UN General Assembly in 2001, have had little impact on their lives," the organisation said. The comments come ahead of the 18th International Leprosy Congress, taking place in Brussels next week. The congress will be joined by more than 800 people from around the world who work with or represent people affected by leprosy. They will be discussing what leprosy sufferers think should replace the MDGs when they expire in 2015 and how the perspectives of leprosy sufferers can shape the post-2015 goals.

Pray: for the Leprosy Congress and that they can define meaningful goals that will help leprosy suffers in a practical way. ( Matt.11:5)

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