ST FRANCIS LEPROSY GUILD
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Mission Statement
Our Mission is to alleviate the suffering caused by leprosy throughout the world. We will do this through our TRACE Strategy T is for Training - we train medical staff in less developed countries to recognise and treat symptoms of leprosy at the earliest possible moment. R is for Research - we research into ways of disrupting the transmission of leprosy. A is for Active Case Finding - we sent teams into the most remote areas to diagnose the earliest signs of leprosy and treat them before they can result in disability or disfigurement. C is for Care - we run centres which provide the year-long treatment programme, care for the long lasting symptoms and rehabilitate these people and families back into the community. E is for Emergency - we provide emergency support when natural disasters hit communities with leprosy.
About This Cause
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, similar to the TB bacteria. Leprosy can affect anyone, at any age, but it is linked to poverty, malnutrition, and genetic susceptibility. There is a widespread fear that leprosy is a highly contagious disease. While doctors and scientists are unsure how leprosy is spread, it is thought through airborne droplet infection such as coughing and sneezing. Prolonged and close contact between people may also contribute. People with depleted immune systems, and poor nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, are more likely to catch it. Leprosy initially presents on the skin as numb patches and is therefore hard to diagnose, because it can be easily misdiagnosed as other skin complaints such as eczema. Disability If left undiagnosed, leprosy attacks nerve endings, destroying the ability to feel pain and injury. This lack of sensation makes patients susceptible to ulcers and infections. Over time, if left untreated, these ulcers can lead to the loss of fingers, hands, toes, and feet. Even those treated for leprosy and who are no longer infectious, can still develop ulcers over their lifetime. Leprosy can also cause blindness, facial disfigurement and the clawing of hands and feet. Although modern surgery can correct some forms of nerve damage, not all damage can be repaired. It is therefore imperative that all cases of leprosy-infected individuals are detected early and treated immediately. Leprosy causes more physical deformity than any other infectious disease. From the mid-1980s, leprosy has been treated successfully by multidrug therapy or MDT. MDT consists of the generic drugs: dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine. Treatment with MDT last from six months for a mild early case of leprosy to over 12 months for an advanced case. Once treatment starts, the disease stops being contagious. Although a cure for leprosy is readily available, if left untreated, leprosy can cause visible disability and disfigurement. Many people fear the disease and many leprosy-affected people (including their families and children) are subjected to stigma and discrimination, causing more fear. In addition, outdated laws mean that people with leprosy can be forcibly pushed out of their homes, livelihoods, and places of work. In some parts of the world, leprosy is grounds for divorce. Due to this terrible injustice, people with leprosy may not come forwards for medical treatment, putting themselves, their families, and communities at greater risk. Tragically, during this delay, disability and disfigurement worsen. Around 200,000 new cases of leprosy are diagnosed every year but the actual number of people at risk from leprosy or living with the effects of leprosy, such as blindness, amputated limbs or, its stigma and discrimination, is estimated at many millions more. A new study predicts 40 million people need preventative treatment to eliminate leprosy in 20 years. NRL and Erasmus University SFLG’s operating strategy is putting an emphasis on case-finding and early detection followed by quick effective treatment. We send teams out into the most remote areas to proactively screen individuals. Our aim is to diagnose and treat leprosy before people are even aware they have it. Through doing this, we hope to preserve the good life chances of these people, and cut any potential transmission. The WHO global target of elimination of leprosy as a public health problem (prevalence of less than one case per ten thousand population) was achieved by 2000. However, there are still 23 global priority countries that are endemic for leprosy. Studies from around the world continue to show the disparity between the number of male and female patients being diagnosed with leprosy as well as suggesting that women are more likely to present later for treatment. We work with our teams to reach more women and children. We believe the end of leprosy is tantalisingly close. We kindly seek your support in achieving this aim.