Leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, is the sickness of the developing world - sickness born out of poverty. Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease which attacks the skin, the peripheral nerves, the mucous air passages and the eyes. The transmission of leprosy is similar to that of tuberculosis. To date, science has not been able to produce a vaccine against leprosy.

The physical handicap caused by the disease stigmatises its victims: it renders the sufferers social outcasts, excluded from their familial and social environment.

Today there are a million cases of leprosy identified worldwide, excluding the large number of ex-patients needing specialised mid-term medical and surgical treatment or social assistance because of the handicap caused by the disease.

 

CIOMAL's campaign against leprosy focuses on :

• Raising public awareness and running information campaigns to promote early detection of first signs of the disease

• Pre-screening missions, including travelling to remote villages in the endemic country – crucial, because the majority of patients can avoid handicap if they are treated soon enough

• Diagnosis and treatment for patients

• Surgery if needed

• Training of patients to care for themselves (cleaning lesions, infection prevention)

• Physiotherapy, prosthesis or orthesis fitment, psychological assistance

• Establishment of the ‘live project’ after re-education: vocational training if needed or small business loans for various independent activities

• CIOMAL follows up the process of social rehabilitation: awareness-raising among patients, their families and their socio-professional environment.

 

The programmes are carried out in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the countries in which CIOMAL operates and in accordance with the directives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and ILEP.