[ 2021-02-01 ]

Ankaful Leprosarium marks World Leprosy Day
By Nana Oye Gyimah

Cape Coast, Feb. 1, GNA - The World Leprosy Day,
celebrated on last Sunday in January every year,
has been marked by the Ankaful Leprosarium General
Hospital (ALGH) in Cape Coast.

It was on the theme “Beat Leprosy, End Stigma,
Advocate for Mental Wellness.”

The Day is celebrated globally to create awareness
of the disease and to sensitize the public to
eschew all forms of stigmatization against people
living with the disease.

Speaking at the event, Dr Benedict Okoe Quao,
National Leprosy Programmes Manager, said
stigmatizing people with the disease, was enough
to turn their limited disease into eternal pain.

There had been a decline in the incident of
leprosy cases globally within the last 10-15
years, he said and called for combined efforts to
stop its spread.

Since the establishment of Ghana Leprosy Service
some 67 years ago, he said, various actors have
worked tediously to reduce leprosy transmission
and its associated challenges and deformities.

To eradicate the disease, Dr Quao said it would
take collective and collaborative efforts from key
actors to see a transformation.

“We may not have the single magic bullet to
immediately eradicate, but we can promise that
ending stigmatization is a game-changer,” he
added.

He called on the public to help create a friendly
and welcoming atmosphere for people with leprosy
to feel loved.

“It is obvious that they contacted it through no
fault of theirs and since we can all not be too
sure of what the future holds for us we must show
them, love,” he stated.

Mr Kofi Jackson Nyarko, a panel member of Leprosy
in Africa, who had the disease, said leprosy was
curable and people who have it needed societal
support to heal faster.

Sharing his ordeal, he revealed how he contacted
the disease with his three other sisters.

He said it took 13 years for it to be diagnosed
and by that time, the disease had aggravated.

“Even though I am now cured I still have its
deformities,” he said.

“The disease itself does not kill but the
stigmatization associated with it has the
potential to kill faster than any deadly
disease.”

While shedding tears, he recounted how the
affected family members lost their names,
stressing, “We suddenly lost our names, now
people call us lepers even when they know our
names and that is sickening.”

Mr Nyarko urged all to visit the nearest hospital
whenever they experience any form of skin
infection for early diagnosis and treatment.

Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, Omanhen of Oguaa
Traditional Area, said it was important to renew
the hopes of affected persons for them to live
their lives to the fullest.

“We can all play our part in our various
communities while efforts are made by the
authorities to help rehabilitate them,” he
added.

He urged all to be advocates to help share what he
described as the “good news” so that
generations to come would not have to deal with
the same problems.

Source -

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