Living with Leprosy: Stories of Resilience and Hope

    "Breaking the Stigma: Advocating for the Rights and Dignity of Leprosy Patients in India"   During the British rule in India, the Dr. Bandorowala Leprosy Hospital was established by Christian missionaries to provide treatment for leprosy patients. However, during the period between 1960 and 1970, patients often delayed seeking treatment due to the stigma, fear, and lack of knowledge surrounding the disease. Leprosy was considered a curse of God, leading to severe deformities and disabilities. Moreover, medicines were not readily available, which further complicated the situation. Despite receiving treatment, many patients were not accepted back into their families, and some were even reported as dead in family records. Society shunned and boycotted them, and job opportunities were scarce. The discrimination against leprosy patients was a result of the deep-rooted stigma associated with the disease, leading to social ostracism and exclusion. Dr. Jal Mehta had...

  “Living with Leprosy: A Story of Resilience and Hope”   Leprosy is a disease that affects millions of people around the world. It is a condition that is often associated with fear, ignorance, and stigma. However, for those who are affected by this condition, it is much more than just a disease. It is a struggle for survival, a battle against the odds, and a journey toward hope and healing. Recently, I had the opportunity to meet a remarkable person who has been living with leprosy for many years. She has lost all her fingers and toes due to the disease, but despite this, she exudes a remarkable sense of positivity and resilience. I was curious to know more about her story, and so I asked her about her experiences with leprosy. She told me that when she was in primary school, she noticed that she had developed some pinkish-white spots on her body. They started on her feet and gradually spread to her hands and back. However, she had no sensation in these areas and did ...

 As the founder of an NGO working with leprosy patients and their families for over 12 years, I have had the opportunity to meet many individuals who have demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. One such person is a lady I met while working in Kondhwa leprosy colony. Curious about her story, I asked her how she contracted leprosy and how her family reacted. She shared that she was in fourth grade when her parents discovered she had leprosy. However, they did not seek treatment for her immediately, as it was not available in the area where she was studying, and the stigma associated with leprosy was very high. It took almost a year for her symptoms to worsen, and her parents finally took her to the government hospital in Pune, Dr. Bandorowala Hospital, where they left her for treatment and never returned to collect her. She was a bright student, but the mental pressure and tension of being alone in the hospital without her parents caused her immense sadness. Her...