A baby from Seva Jyothi Leprosy Colony in Andra Pradesh, India. Photo: jcandeli/ Feature Photo: amanderson2
January 31st is World Leprosy Day, a good time to join the fight to eradicate leprosy.
Every day thousands of people across the world are diagnosed with leprosy. But what exactly is leprosy? And why should we care about World Leprosy Day?
What is Leprosy?
Leprosy is a chronic condition caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium Leprae. First identified by Norwegian physician G.A. Hansen in 1873, it is also known as Hansen’s disease.
Leprosy affects the nervous system, damaging the nerves and eventually manifesting in deformities along the hands, feet, and face. In extreme cases, patchy skin is accompanied by loss of sensation, clawing (of hands and feet), and even loss of limbs.
Leprosy Treatment
Leprosy treatment consists of a very effective multi-drug therapy (MDT), a cocktail of three drugs: dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine. Early detection and treatment ensure infection is stamped out within no time; if leprosy has progressed, treatment will cure infection, but not the resulting deformity.
Global Spread and Stigma
Given the easy availability of medication, leprosy should be a thing of the past, yet it remains a problem, especially in poverty stricken regions of the Indian subcontinent, Africa, and Latin America.
This continued prevalence of leprosy is a result of historical stigma, traced back to a time when patchy skin and clawed hands meant isolation in leper colonies. Leprosy continues to instill fear and discrimination; even today leprosy stigma devastates social and economic ties, along with healthy living.
It is this very stigma that obstructs early reporting, effective treatment, and recovery.Stigma leads to progression of the disease and deformity, causing further isolation.
A number of local and global agencies, including Seva Life Project, WHO, LEPRA and ILEP are attempting to address these very issues to eradicate leprosy worldwide.
World Leprosy Day – Eradication through Awareness
World Leprosy Day aims to increase awareness and make treatment more accessible to those in need. As stated on the ILEP website:
World Leprosy Day was created in 1954 by Raoul Follereau “so that people affected by leprosy could be cared for like all others who are ill and so that those in good health could be cured of their absurd and often criminal fear of this disease and those who are affected by it.”
In other words, leprosy eradication requires the changing social perception of leprosy; by recognizing leprosy as just another curable illness, social stigma can be eliminated, thereby increasing chances of early reporting and cure.
The process also includes monitoring availability of medication and training personnel in proper diagnosis and patient care. Patient rehabilitation – social, economic and physical – is also important, allowing them to reintegrate into society. These very points form the crux of WHO’s “Final Push” strategy for the elimination of leprosy.
How can you help?
Organizations fighting leprosy are constantly in need of support, donations, and volunteers to eradicate leprosy and improve lives worldwide.
Community Connection:
Read more about India, one country where leprosy rates are high. “India, Poverty, and the Fear of Traveling to Poor Places” is just one of many articles in our archives.
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19 Comments... join the discussion!
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Thanks Nancy. It’s true that leprosy is pretty much a forgotten issue but for the regions where it still persists. Hopefully, it will become a non-issue soon.
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Thanks for this article. I always felt lepers condemned to that beautiful Hawaiian island at least had a pretty good silver lining.
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Thanks Tim. Unfortunately conditions around the world (for leprosy patients) continue to be pretty depressing.
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Great article, Neha. I knew nothing about modern-day leprosy until I read this. Perhaps it should be called Hansen’s disease from here on out. That term carries no stigma at all.
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Sabina, that’s an excellent suggestion! Though the other problem associated with leprosy is with cases in the western world. Since leprosy is fairly non-existent here, actual cases tend to get misdiagnosed.
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Neha-
Like Nancy I viewed leprosy as an “old” disease; I wasn’t really aware it’s still a problem, as I hadn’t heard anyone talk about it for a long time. Thank you for raising my awareness.
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Thanks Julie. I really think that increasing awareness, both within the pockets of infection and outside, is the key to eradication.
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Excellent, informative article, Neha, Magic on ya
Cheers,
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Thanks for reading Mike.
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I also wasn’t aware of leprosy as a modern problem. I always think of it as from old movies that took place in the time of Jesus. And leprosy as the sort of disease God punishes you with in the Bible.
But of course, it makes sense that it wouldn’t just disappear. Thank you for putting the spotlight on this and information and links that allow us to help.
Seems that this is something that is easily addressed (certainly in comparison to something like Haiti). It’s a matter of making sure the people who need it get adequate treatment and prevention.
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As Doug states below, the treatment is available free of cost, I think the main problem is poor self reporting, which again is linked to the issue of social stigma.
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Reading through the comments it looks as though many are not aware that leprosy is a continuing problem in the world. We thank Neha for drawing attention to this and the need to address the social dimensions of this disease. Raising community awareness of the fact that leprosy is fully curable and that treatment is free contribute towards changing attitudes and behaviour towards people affected by leprosy.
ILEP is a federation of 14 Members working towards a world without leprosy. We hope some of your readers, particularly as they are travellers and writers, who are interested in life and people, would be interested in finding out more from our website: http://www.ilep.org.uk
Doug Soutar, General Secretary, ILEP
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Doug-
Thanks for your comment. We’re happy Neha brought the issue of leprosy to our attention; it really hasn’t received any spotlight in the Western media for many years. Thank you for the work you and your colleagues are doing to eradicate this disease.
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Thank you for your comment Doug, and for the amazing work you, and your foundation are putting in towards leprosy elimination and facilitating social change.
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Dear Neha,
I liked your article. I am proud of you as a Father. The article is on more serious note and making one aware of the plight of leprosy patients. I suggest you to go through web site – http://www.anandwan.in Dr. Baba Amte has done great social work in the upliftment of leprosy patients. His children are carrying forward the mission. After going through the web site, may be some one would be interested in assisting in this noble cause. Great!! God Bless you!!
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Thank you so much for the comment, and for the link!
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Hi Neha, I like ur article, my name is jesus babu im working with Leporsy community in Nellore Andhra Pradesh, Thank u so much for sharing abt Leorsy. Ur using my photo, we Sevalifeproject.com trying to help in the community also we r runing children’s home and school for this Seva jyothi Leprsy colony. We need ur support.
Thank U
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My uncles had leprosy as children in 1925. They were taken from the family and one died in quarentine. How incredibly sad for my immigrant grandmother. They came to NJ from Bermuda in 1919 and it was there that the boys probably contracted the disease.
Thank you for your interest and your work.
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