Leprosy Mailing List – October 18, 2016
Ref.: (LML) Multiplying investment
From: Joel Almeida, Mumbai and London
Dear Pieter,
The Indian government is multiplying its investment in several major health initiatives (e.g. TB - the investment is going from under $100 million per year to $300 million per year).
Let's do our best to encourage such boosts in investment for leprosy too. Let's also vigorously encourage noble-minded individuals in affluent countries to contribute more. We need to expand the cake of financing, instead of leaving people partly unprotected against devastating nerve damage.
In the past we have pretended that leprosy is declining in India, or that it is bound to decline, or that we cannot afford to protect people against the devastating nerve damage of leprosy, or that investment should go to other problems first. That is not a friendly or helpful way to behave towards the people at risk of leprosy. Let not our careless words and concepts discourage investment in leprosy services.
Instead, let's ensure that the low-hanging fruit is plucked: notably, protection of nerves during the first two years after the start of MDT; and prolonged anti-microbial protection for polar lepromatous patients. Let's build a demonstration of highly effective interventions in one population, regardless of cost. Costs per outcome decline when effective interventions are scaled up. Let's speak boldly about what boosted investment can do.
We can be good friends to the population at risk. We can join our voices to civil society and affected people, by pressing for "timely access to quality services". Ordinary people in India took the government to court to press for adequate staffing of leprosy services. Their efforts have started bearing fruit. But we professionals could help by measuring our words.
Let's stand shoulder to shoulder with the workers on the front lines, and the population at risk. That's where nerves are protected and lives are transformed.
Regards,
Joel
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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