Offer hope to a child diagnosed with leprosy today

Medical Aid to a child newly diagnosed with leprosy in India

Yes, leprosy still exists! Yes, leprosy can be cured with a combination of three antibiotics. Your GOOD DEED makes a real difference in the lives of people living in remote communities who otherwise lack access to urgently needed health care! Arti, from Nabrangpur, India, was diagnosed with leprosy when she was 12 and underwent six months of multidrug therapy. Despite the challenges of growing up with the disease, Arti continued her education. She trained as a Physiotherapy Care Assistant and began working at the District Headquarters Hospital in June 2023. Arti has already contributed to caring for 45 children affected by leprosy, improving their well-being and overall quality of life. Arti is very grateful to her donors. " Your generous gifts were life-changing when my family was going through a very stressful time. They broke the cycle of poverty and showed me the impact of generosity."

Background

More than 600 people are diagnosed with leprosy each day; over 50 of these are children. A germ, a bacteria, causes leprosy. It is transmitted primarily through coughing and sneezing. Leprosy can be cured with multi-drug therapy (MDT), a combination of three antibiotics. Treatment can take from six months to a year, sometimes longer. People are no longer contagious after about one week of MDT. Every TWO MINUTES, someone is diagnosed with leprosy. It causes nerve damage and muscle weakness that can lead to deformities, crippling, blindness and isolation. Many people think leprosy no longer exists, but it still occurs in more than 100 COUNTRIES worldwide.

The good deed

The GOOD DEED, the gift of medication for one day, is life-changing! Providing medication to a child newly diagnosed with leprosy changes everything. Too often, the family is living in a very poor economic environment. Thanks to the GOOD DEED, children suffering from leprosy will be able to receive the treatment and care they need to heal and lead productive lives! Also, the medication and the cure will break the transmission of the disease.

Challenge

Leprosy is a disease caused by a bacillus. It still occurs in more than 120 countries; Brazil, India, and Indonesia reported more than 10,000 new cases. Worldwide, in 2022, 174,087 individuals were newly diagnosed with leprosy, one person every 2 minutes. 10,302 children were among those newly diagnosed. Leprosy is treated effectively with multi-drug therapy (MDT), a combination of three antibiotic drugs: dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine. A six to twelve-month course of treatment kills the bacteria and cures the person. If treated in the early stages of disease, MDT can prevent the onset of impairments and disabilities. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of leprosy are essential.