During the COVID-19 Pandemic, You Still Make Healing Possible Across the World

POSTED ON: JUNE 29, 2020

For the poor and marginalized around the world, the novel coronavirus is simply another threat to an already fragile life. Leprosy and other neglected tropical diseases continue to impact these communities every day. Thanks to your faithful support, our partners across the world are continuing to serve people suffering from leprosy and related diseases.

Thousands Reached with Critical Health Information Through Your Support

IME Kimpese Hospital in DR Congo took to the airwaves to make sure their community stays safe and healthy. Through radio and tv spots, hospital staff reached 120,000 people with important information about COVID-19 and neglected tropical diseases like leprosy. Kimpese also conducted first-time or refresher trainings on the novel coronavirus and neglected tropical diseases with 370 community health workers and 78 health department staff. Your generous donations empower our partners to take a critical role in their communities, providing support and critical health information.

Shanti and Anjali Receive Care and the Cure, Thanks to You

Lalgadh Leprosy Hospital in Nepal is currently providing a quarantine service and  COVID-19 treatment in addition to their emergency outpatient work and an inpatient ward for people severely affected by leprosy. Your generous donations allow these critical services to continue, so that people like Shanti Kapar can receive the care they need, even during a pandemic.

Shanti lives with her husband and sons in an area of Nepal that has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown. Due to leprosy, she has lost sensation in her feet. Last winter her feet developed ulcers, and during the lockdown they became infected. 

Shanti didn’t seek treatment right away because she was afraid of encountering stigma at a hospital or clinic. Both the ulcers and Shanti’s anxiety worsened until she asked her family to bring her to Lalgadh. Because you’re enabling Lalgadh to continue emergency and inpatient services, Shanti has the care she needs for her feet. 

Thanks to your gifts, staff at Lalgadh also continue to diagnose and treat new cases of leprosy. Anjali Raut is five years old. For several years her mother and grandmother have been seeking treatment for the skin lesions on her arm, forehead, and leg. In May, Anjali was referred to Lalgadh where doctors confirmed the lesions as leprosy symptoms. Anjali is responding well to the multi-drug therapy (MDT) that cures leprosy. Because she’s been diagnosed early, she won’t have to live with disability or stigma as she grows up.

Your Gifts Give Lakshmanan Life-Changing Surgery 

The Research and Leprosy Centre (R&LC) of the Schieffelin Institute of Health is our partner in Karigiri, India. The R&LC is equipped to provide important surgeries at greatly reduced costs to people affected by leprosy. For Lakshmanan, access to this service during COVID-19 means he can fulfill a long-awaited dream: restoring his disfigured nose, a deformity caused by leprosy that made him very self-conscious.

When Lakshmanan first noticed symptoms of leprosy, R&LC staff told him about treatment but he didn’t pursue it until the disease affected his daily activities. This summer, he was finally healthy enough for the first of two surgeries to correct his nose. This is a bright point in his life as he has been rejected by his family and recently lost his business. Thanks to your support, Lakshmanan has encountered hope, even during COVID-19. 

Thank You for Your Faithful Partnership

We’re thankful for our hospital partners like IME Kimpese, Lalgadh and the R&LC at Karigiri. Their tireless health workers are on the frontlines of care, fighting diseases like leprosy and—now—COVID-19. And we are thankful for you! None of this life-changing work would be possible without you. You are bringing healing and hope to people affected by leprosy and related diseases, even during the coronavirus pandemic. Thank you for your faithful partnership!

Discover more about how we and our partners are responding to the COVID-19 crisis.