A/HRC/10/62 page 10 ensured equal treatment and swift access to all patients, who had the right to a range of benefits in a special regime, lower medication costs, exemption from payment in all public medical services and sick leave for more than 18 months. Treatment was provided by WHO to the General Directorate for Health. The Friends of Raoul Follereau association provided annual contributions to projects for the treatment, cure and reintegration of persons affected by Hansen’s disease and their family members. Qatar [Original: Arabic] [24 October 2008] 25. In the past five years, a revision of the rights of persons affected by leprosy had taken place in Qatar, in order to protect them and those who were in direct contact with them. Previously, leprosy had been considered a contagious disease and persons affected by it were isolated or expelled from the country. Currently, the policy was based on four different aspects: (a) persons affected by leprosy are no longer expelled from the country, except upon request; (b) persons affected by leprosy and their families or others in direct contact with them are offered medical examinations and their condition is registered; (c) a specialized health department offers examinations, medical services and treatment to persons affected by leprosy and those in direct contact with them; and (d) all services and treatment are provided free of charge or at a reasonable financial cost. No scientific research or studies about discrimination had been conducted since there had been no complaints or discriminatory practices brought to the attention of the authorities. All information about cases and treatment of patients were handled with full confidentiality. Romania [Original: English] [20 October 2008] 26. Although in recent decades no new cases of leprosy had been diagnosed in Romania, 21 people affected by the disease continue to benefit from specialized services at a hospital in Tichilesti. The average age of those persons was 60 years and they preferred to live in the hospital as the disease was too advanced to be cured. They were regularly visited by their relatives and could leave if they wished. Medical treatment, food and clothing was provided free of charge in these facilities. There were no policies or practices with discriminatory effects against leprosy-affected persons. Informative media campaigns about leprosy at the local and national levels had been conducted as a way of combating prejudice. Spain [Original: Spanish] [26 September 2008] 27. Leprosy was only a residual issue and hence did not require detailed registration of patients. Nevertheless, the general policy of the Ministry of Health and Consumption had been to combat stigma and discrimination in all its activities and in relation to any health problems.