I Am Willing; Be Cleansed
by George Arende.
In December 2017 our congregation gave a grant of 5,000 Swiss francs to Lalgadh Leprosy Hospital & Services Centre, LLHSC, in Mithila Municipality, Nepal for the project dubbed “Rescuing 400 ultra-poor girls and women from leprosy”.
The project sought to seek out, diagnose, treat, restore and rehabilitate some 400girls and women affected by leprosy. This group is the most vulnerable 12,000 disadvantaged leprosy patients.
The program aimed at curing early diagnosed patients, prevent the spread of leprosy, reverse the progressive deformity to eyes, hands and feet as well as empower the women and girls. The project also aims at providing hope and dignity to the patients as they actively participate in their families and communities.
In 2013 alone, out of the 11,000 patients who visited the hospital, more than 400 were children with leprosy.
Leprosy is a curable disease that remains a big burden to countries in the South –East Asia region. World Health Organization reports indicate that the region accounts for 75% of new cases worldwide.
(photo: Heli Bathija)
Caused by slowly multiplying bacillus mycobacterium leprae, Leprosy takes 5years to incubate and mainly manifests itself through cosmetic or mutilation.
Type 1 leads to active skin patches and nerve damage, while type 2 reacts with the body immune manifesting into irreversible loss of fingers, toes or blindness.
LLHSC started in 1996, is the leading leprosy hospital in Nepal. It has several community health and development programs that serve more than 87,000 patients annually. The recently opened children hospital unit will treat vulnerable children in Nepal.