World Leprosy Day is observed every year on the last Sunday of January. In India, it is observed on 30 January every year, coinciding with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.   

Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) which still occurs in more than 120 countries, with more than 200 000 new cases reported every year.

The aim of observing the World Leprosy Day is to create awareness against the stigma attached to the disease, by making the general community aware that it is a disease spread by a type of bacteria and it can be easily cured.