Leprosy Mailing List – September 3rd, 2007
Ref.: Rehabilitation: Searching
for an appropriate strategy for people affected by leprosy.
From: Gopal P. K., Coimbatore,
India
Dear Dr. Noto,
I am happy to read from your mail Dr. V.
Pannikar's letter on Rehabilitation (LML August 29th,
2007). Rehabilitation,
especially the Socio-Economic Rehabilitation of people affected by
leprosy who live in leprosy colonies/villages is very much required. As per W.H.O. health is not
merely the absence of disease but it includes social, psychological
and economic wellbeing.
After the success of the multi-drug therapy
(MDT), the rehabilitation needs of people should have been started in
a large scale in all countries where leprosy has been endemic. But this did not happen. Even now it is not too late to
do justice for the people. In
leprosy for certain proportion of patients, the cure alone does not
bring them back to normalcy. The
reason is stigma and discriminations in leprosy. Good Socio-Economic
Rehabilitation has been and is being done in few places by certain
NGOs including IDEA.
I have been working in the field of
Socio-Economic Rehabilitation of people affected by leprosy for the
last 35 years and developed suitable strategy for the implementation. Our organisation IDEA
(Integration, Dignity & Economic Advancement) started by persons
affected by leprosy gives importance to improve the quality of lives
and enable them to lead a life with dignity. This could be done through
Social and Economic Rehabilitation and simultaneously fighting against
stigma and discriminations. In
the State of Tamil Nadu, IDEA India is implementing successful
Socio-Economic Rehabilitation programmes for the benefit of people
living in the leprosy colonies and in the community.
In the year 2005 a survey was conducted by
IDEA India with the support of Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation,
Japan and found 635 leprosy colonies in India. Two National conferences on
Integration & Empowerment of people affected by leprosy were
conducted paving the way for creation of a National Forum of People
affected by leprosy in India. IDEA
India and the National Forum joined together and conducted
Socio-Economic Empowerment Workshops in major states in India and
enabled the people to select their own State leaders to work for their
own development. Creating
a new strategy for rehabilitation will give many opportunities for
these leaders to implement various programmes.
I fully agree that a new strategy has to
be developed including the people affected as partners and implemented
in all countries where it is required.
What is the next step by whom?
With kind regards,
Dr. P. K. Gopal.
President, IDEA India & National Forum.
