Reverend Father Andrew Campbell has described the discrimination being meted out to persons with leprosy as unfortunate.
The founder of the Lepers Aid Committee narrates scenarios where national service persons assigned to the Weija Leprosarium refuse to work for fear of being infected with leprosy.
There have been instances where families of persons with leprosy have abandoned them at the Leprosarium, refusing to connect with them.
Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of World Leprosy Day, Father Andrew Campbell indicated that the only way to change the narrative is by educating the public on leprosy.
“It’s been 50 years taking care of these lepers, but one of the challenges which keeps recurring is the stigmatization. This comes from friends, families, and other loved ones. Initially when I came to the Leprosarium, the whole place was bushy, and the Lepers had no means of transport, and even the way they were being taken care of was not the best. Although there are some active lepers in other parts of the country, most of them are cured, but the stigma is awful.
A typical example is the National Service persons who are posted to the Weija Leprosarium run away for fear of being infected with leprosy, and this affects our work. There are other instances where families of persons with leprosy have abandoned them at the Leprosarium and have refused to get into contact with them because they are too shy to be associated with them. This is what we have to change as we celebrate World Leprosy Day,” Father Andrew Campbell told Citi News in Weija.
He underscored the need for citizens to be sensitized to desist from discriminating against persons living with leprosy.
“As we celebrate this day, it is important that we highlight the plights of persons living with leprosy and educate people on issues related to leprosy; this is the only way we can overcome the stigma,” Father Campbell said.
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