India is the country with the highest number of leprosy sufferers in the world. The neglected tropical disease spreads particularly in an environment where people live in confined spaces, are poorly nourished and live in poverty. If leprosy is not diagnosed early and treated correctly, it can lead to serious disabilities in the hands, feet and eyes. As a result, those affected can no longer walk properly, no longer use their hands properly and may even go blind. The disease of poverty is relatively easy to diagnose and can be cured with a combination of three antibiotics. However, those affected often hide their infection, as leprosy is associated with strong stigmatization and social exclusion in India.

For many years, leprosy sufferers in India had little or no access to public hospitals due to stigmatization. To enable them to receive treatment, FAIRMED founded several leprosy hospitals in India in the 1970s, most of which are now self-sustaining and no longer require support. In the reference hospital of the Rural India Self Development Trust (RISDT) in Kathipudi, however, we are still helping to ensure that leprosy patients receive reconstructive operations on their hands, feet and eyes. This enables those affected to continue working and attending school and protects them from the discrimination they would experience with visible disabilities due to leprosy.

After the operation, the patients, who are often poor and have traveled from far and wide, are treated in hospital for several weeks to ensure optimal wound healing. They also receive regular physiotherapy and are trained in how to maintain the mobility of their hands and feet by doing exercises at home.

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