Projects

The TANGAIL TB and Leprosy project, spanning multiple districts in Bangladesh with a population of 7.8 million, is a testament to the scale of our collective efforts. We provide combined TB and Leprosy services through 34 clinics, and our regular social mobilization and contact investigation activities are instrumental in creating mass awareness and identifying newly infected individuals. Adding a new team is a promising development, set to bolster leprosy control in the Rajshahi District and further amplify our impact. 

In 2023, 40,703 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis 

“Tuberculosis is highly prevalent in Bangladesh, making the fight against this disease a top priority, alongside leprosy. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated Bangladesh as a priority country for eradicating leprosy.”

In 2023, we were confronted with the urgent need to find and treat undetected cases of Leprosy among the Ethiopian population. Our project, aimed at enhancing early case detection of leprosy and improving the quality of life for persons affected through livelihood support, has now turned its focus to the Anchar District, a high-burden leprosy zone. Anchar is currently grappling with a significant number of new leprosy cases,  with a prevalence rate of 3.76 per 10,000 population, well above the WHO target of less than 1 per 10,000 population. The district also reports a high proportion of child leprosy cases, further underscoring the urgency of the situation.

The mass screening campaigns have been a resounding success, reaching 1,620 households and significantly contributing to the early detection and treatment of leprosy cases. 

“Persons affected by Leprosy in Anchar face various socio-economic challenges: loss of relationship with the community, loss of assets, etc. The Anchar district is a hard-to-reach area with poor access to health care.”

All too often, poverty and disease go hand in hand.  Given its high population density and high poverty rate, more than half the people affected by leprosy in the world live in India, a situation that urgently requires our attention and action.

When a person is affected by the disease, the consequences for the patient and his or her family are far-reaching. The loss of a livelihood or high medical costs can plunge a family into extreme poverty in no time. In partnership with NGOs in the States of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, Secours Lèpre offers early detection, treatment, reconstructive surgery, care services for people with disabilities, community awareness to reduce stigma and capacity building for people affected by leprosy.

107,851 people newly affected by leprosy were screened nationwide in 2023. 

“By calling on volunteers during active screening campaigns, we can detect more people affected by leprosy. In a short space of time, we have screened 12,000 patients in 31 villages where leprosy is prevalent.”

Mozambique ranks fifth globally and second in Africa regarding the number of new leprosy cases. In Manica and Nampula, our partner AIFO is fighting against leprosy in collaboration with the local Associations of People Affected by Leprosy. We work at the community level, training community agents and self-help groups and operating leprosy elimination campaigns. Our work is also to support the education of children of affected individuals and children with disabilities in school and uniform. Our efforts have had a significant impact on the education of children . One hundred percent of the children who benefited from our support have successfully moved up a class.

Our work in the Province of Nampula, where 44% of new cases are registered, has been particularly impactful, underscoring the importance of our efforts in this region. 

“On 29 January, we organized a debate on Community Radio to raise awareness about leprosy. Seven thousand people followed the discussion.  The radio debate focussed mainly on the cause of leprosy. According to the local people, the cause of leprosy is theft or violation of family and community norms, a fact reiterated by the 30 listeners who called in to contribute and raise concerns.”

The dedicated local teams of our partner Action Damien are actively supporting regional health centres in 10 provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their unwavering commitment is truly inspiring. Leprosy Relief has long endorsed the programme to combat tuberculosis and leprosy in the Haut-Uele province. In 2024, we will be leaving the country's highest province to work much further south in the province of Haut Katanga, where leprosy screening is very dynamic. We are acting quickly to reduce disability among new cases. The teams regularly carry out targeted campaigns to screen people living in remote areas without access to healthcare.

In 2023, our efforts led to the diagnosis of 2035 new cases. 

“Every day, our teams are on the ground, screening people for leprosy and tuberculosis. We are committed to providing them with the best care, helping them to remain hopeful, and following them until they are cured. This unwavering commitment is at the heart of our mission.”

In the past, people diagnosed with leprosy were often isolated in specific villages. Our partner in Senegal, DAHW, has been a steadfast presence in these communities for decades, providing vital support and medical care. Together, we are now actively working in 16 villages, striving to promote human rights and the social inclusion of people affected by leprosy. This transformation requires a shift in mindset and a steadfast commitment to defending the rights of disabled individuals. 

Since last year, the villages are no longer considered 'leprosy villages', a success for DAHW and all the partners working in Senegal. However, the disease has not entirely disappeared. 

"A year ago, says one of the village elders, when you were last here to help us, you said you would come back…He pauses and nods contentedly. And you came back! Nods and murmurs, sporadic applause in the large group that has gathered under the shady canopy of a mango tree.”