Leprosy Mailing List – July 30, 2015
Ref.: (LML) Socio-economic rehabilitation: habitat for people affected by leprosy From: Grace Warren, Sidhey, Australia |
Dear Pieter,
I would like to support Dr Noto’s letter (LML, July 28, 2015) pointing out that it is much better to resettle treated leprosy patients into the general community, than to set up a "settlement” labelled leprosy. In many Asian countries and that includes Indonesia, the mention of Leprosy is a problem and for proper re-settlement of leprosy patients it is advisable to ensure that they have no definite label of leprosy and do not show definite stigmatic signs of the disease.
For 50 years, I worked in Asia in many countries helping leprosy patients. Ideally find them before there is definite stigma and then it should be relatively easy to resettle them into the regular community, not even into a village for the disabled as they could be suspected. For thousands (literally) of patients across Asia and Africa I have been able to aid rehabilitation, and teach the local medical staff to use the facilities at their disposal to help their patients, by the correction of the physical deformities caused by leprosy, e.g. correcting clawed hands so the patient can work without attracting attention or correcting a foot drop and healing foot ulcers so patients can work in the fields and mix in the general community. In our hospitals we also have programs training the patients in the essentials of regular work and teaching arts&crafts that the patients can do at home and sell on the market if they are physically unable to do the regular manual field work etc. If it is preferable that the community contains people with deformity from motor accidents and work accidents that makes it more generally accepted.
The Leprosy Mission International with whom I mainly worked has been able to establish or build up many of these settlements also giving places to live for those without leprosy and being prepared to operate on others with deformity not caused by leprosy, in their hospitals. I have lost count of the number of children with talipes that I have operated upon or of those with severe scars or deformities due to accidents. This all helps to reduce the stigma of leprosy and make those suspicious of having the disease more prepared to come and be checked, examined and treated. It all works together to help encourage those who may be affected to come and be checked and this must help reduce the world wide load of the disease. In many of our centres the local people virtually accept our hospital as the local hospital.
Yes, it is good to hear of the plans for Indonesia but Please do not label it leprosy, or advertise it is for leprosy- having some obviously non leprosy residents will help general acceptance!!!
May you really be able to provide help and care for many in need.
Grace Warren
Previously Adviser in Leprosy and reconstructive surgery for The Leprosy Mission in Asia (1975-90)
LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder
LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/
Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com
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