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Let’s End Leprosy Discrimination Now, For Our Children’s Sake – Global Issues

Parents at the Alheri leprosy colony outside Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja have called for an end to discrimination, which they say affects their children. Credit: Oluwatobi Enitan / IPS
  • by Oluwatobi Enitan (abuja, nigeria)
  • Joint press service

“They (our children) are clearly our future and our hope,” Ishaiku said. “We don’t want our children to be a nuisance to society. We want them to succeed and become great people in the future.”

He talked to IPS a few days ago World Leprosy Day celebrate this year on January 30.

Colonies are poorly shaped. Dilapidated houses, few basic sanitation facilities, no sewage system, the water tank at the clinic is also empty. However, the borehole near their home does not guarantee a steady water supply.

Most of the community are forced to stay at the facility long after they recover from their illness – and live off of farming and errands while their children gather firewood and peddicate to support their families.

According to residents, the facility has been open for 16 years, and even after being cured of leprosy, families continue to live there.

Terver Anyor, head of Business Development for The Leprosy Mission Nigeria, said the stigma, myths and misconceptions surrounding the disease mean that those affected by the disease will have to living in deplorable conditions outside of mainstream society. People recognize The Leprosy Mission Nigeria as one of the NGOs that regularly support them.

“Many people think that because a person has a disability, maybe a finger or a foot is cured, then they assume that the person has leprosy, even though that person has been cured,” Anyor said. He explained that The Leprosy Mission Nigeria, along with other organizations, will, during this period, be engaged in awareness campaigns to sensitize people to the reality of this disease.

The awareness campaign included radio outreach, media press conferences and marches to public places in Abuja. Campaign, sponsored by Sasakawa Health Foundationwill help spread the truth about this disease.

“We are working towards zero transmission of leprosy… And we are also working towards zero discrimination and no disability due to leprosy,” said Anyor.

“Due to discrimination, people affected by leprosy do not find jobs and do not have access to social services like everyone else.”

The children benefit from the free education, but the principal of Alheri Primary School, Aliyu Bashiru Kwali, says their parents’ condition affects the children. He says many children go out to peddlers as soon as the school closes – some return at 10 p.m., but others stay out all night. They come back, he said, “with sleepy eyes,” and this means they can’t concentrate.

“It doesn’t help that students peddler make a living for their parents, and we can’t stop them, because if they don’t roam, they won’t eat, their parents lose their strength, so the responsibility lies with them very much. .” Kwali said.

For many residents, their reality is complex and their anger is palpable.

Ali Isah, the resident leader, said the Covid-19 pandemic had exacerbated their poor living conditions.

“We have had no intervention from the Government, and we are detained here and do not dare to go out begging, otherwise we will be mistreated by the security officers,” he said of the impact of the incident. Covid protocols. He said they once endured a charade where government officials brought in three rice carts, dignitaries and media, but when they left, the community received only three bags.

“As heads of those affected by leprosy, my family and I receive less than a quarter of a bag of rice, just enough to feed us for three days. We have struggled to survive for a long time. time is closed with no hope left,” said Isah. “Our rights to freedom of religion and association were denied. We couldn’t pray in public because the security guards would deal with us. We were ostracized.”

Lilibeth Ev Mostus knew firsthand the plight of those affected by Hansen’s disease, as leprosy was also known. She is a lawyer who used to have this disease.

She now runs the Purple Hope Initiative – a non-profit organization for women and children affected by the disease in Lagos.

“As someone who has experienced Hansen’s disease, I have faced a lot of stigma and stigma based on people’s misinformation about the disease,” she told IPS.

“Then I decided to join the campaign to raise awareness and spread the right information about this disease. Thank God as a lawyer and human rights activist, I used the text his room to fight for our rights.”

She says that Purple Hope is all about “restoring hope”.

This echoes the sentiments of WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Leprosy, Yohei Sasakawawho talks about her life work with people affected by leprosy: “I want to create a society where people feel completely engaged, can express their opinions and be valued. The coming era has to be one of diversity, and for that, we need social inclusion. There is such capacity and potential in the world, and for everyone to participate in it. society will create a truly wonderful future.”


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© Inter Press Service (2022) – All rights reservedOrigin: Inter Press Service

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