World Leprosy Day 2017

POSTED ON: APRIL 10, 2017

(Greenville, S.C., April 10,2017) American Leprosy Missions, a global leader in the fight against leprosy, was recently awarded a four-year $500,000 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program for capital improvements at Anandaban Hospital in Nepal.

The ASHA program aims to increase the ability of overseas schools, libraries and hospitals to demonstrate U.S. advancements in education and medical technology. These institutions then contribute to the strengthening of mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries while creating a foundation for leadership development.

Nepal is one of the countries with the highest number of new leprosy cases in the world. American Leprosy Missions’ partner, Anandaban Hospital, is located on the outskirts of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. It is the primary tertiary care provider of leprosy services in the country. The hospital also provides general patient care, serving inaccessible and under-resourced areas.

“We are proud to partner with USAID ASHA and Anandaban Hospital,” says Bill Simmons, American Leprosy Missions President and CEO. “This grant will provide critical facility upgrades and increase the resiliency of the health system in Nepal. It will also help ensure that people who suffer from or are at risk of the ongoing consequences of leprosy and related diseases have access to the quality health care they and their families deserve.”

This project will provide the hospital with the necessary infrastructure to offer high-quality surgery, rehabilitation and maternity services, and will also build the capacity of health workers and researchers.

The funds will go toward a new, three-story building at the hospital which will house a trauma center with two modern operation theaters and surgical wards, the emergency ward, and the maternity block with delivery room and associated wards. These will replace buildings that were severely damaged during the 7.9-magnitude earthquake in 2015.

The construction will provide a spacious, earthquake-safe and disability-friendly environment. The new wards will also offer separate sections for men and women to allow for the privacy of all patients.

This is the third USAID ASHA grant awarded to American Leprosy Missions for work in Nepal. A 2010 grant for $250,000 was also for Anandaban Hospital, covering commodities and laboratory renovations. In 2014, American Leprosy Missions was awarded a $763,236 grant for Lalgadh Leprosy Hospital for significant facility and equipment upgrades.

The current facility upgrades at Anandaban Hospital are part of a larger, $1,940,572 project in partnership with The Leprosy Mission International and The Leprosy Mission Nepal.

About American Leprosy Missions
American Leprosy Missions, based in Greenville, South Carolina, is the oldest and largest Christian organization in the United States dedicated to curing and caring for people affected by leprosy and related diseases. It currently funds projects and partners in countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas. During its more than 100-year history, American Leprosy Missions has provided holistic care to four million people around the world including medical treatment and training, Christian outreach, community development and vaccine research.

For Additional Information
Sarah Hesshaus
Communications Director
864.241.1731 or 800.543.3135
[email protected]