In the Year of Eliminating Leprosy, a large number of Delhiites are unaware of the disease's symptoms and still see leprosy as a curse.

A study conducted to weigh public awareness and perceptions about the ailment has revealed that every third graduate in the city believes that leprosy is a curse.

The study surveyed people in the 21-40 age group, 58 percent of whom were graduates and most were employed.

As of March 31, 2005, there were 148,910 registered leprosy cases in India. While the national prevalence rate (PR) of leprosy is 1.34 per 10,000 people, Delhi has a PR of 3.1.

The study conducted by a non-profit organisation - the Centre for Media Studies - found that only 33 percent men and 14 percent women were aware of "pale patches without sensation" being a symptom of leprosy. One-third of Delhi's graduates are unaware of this symptom.

But 55 percent males and 72 percent females associated deformation of body parts - like fingers, nose, ears and eyes - with leprosy.

India aims to completely eradicate leprosy by the year-end.

During the survey, researchers found that ignorance and reluctance to accept cured patients back into society is rampant. Social stigma and discrimination against the cured are a common response.

"Maybe we are focusing less on the social aspect of this disease. There is definitely a shortage of awareness campaigns and communication strategies on the social aspect of leprosy," said Alok Srivastava, the chief project manager of the study.

"We need to develop a proper communication strategy to reach out to the masses on the status and remove the stigma attached to this disease in our society," Srivastava told.

During an earlier visit to India, WHO goodwill ambassador on leprosy Yohoi Sasakawa had emphasised on the "social aspect" of the disease and called for a "regulated effort to sensitise people and purge the society of the social stigma".

The study also revealed that while 90 percent of both men and women are aware that leprosy is curable, every third individual disagrees with the medical view that it is the least infectious among all contagious diseases.

Three out of every five people surveyed also accept that leprosy-infected people are not allowed to lead a normal life - graduates constitute 75 percent of this group.

Of the surveyed, 75 percent felt that those infected with leprosy do not reveal their disease for fear of being ostracised by society.