Leprosy is a bacterial disease that has been around for over 4.000 years and is one many would have assumed ought to have been eradicated by now. <br /><br />But millions of leprosy patients around the world live with an illness which often sparks fear and misunderstanding.<br /><br />Indonesia has the third highest number of sufferers in the world after India and Brazil and here thousands still live in shame, secrecy and isolation.<br /><br />Now the government with the help of the military is trying to educate, diagnose and eradicate the scourge -- an effort that has come a little too late for some.<br /><br />Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen reports from West Sumatra.
