LEPROSY DEFEATED, LIVES TRANSFORMED
2020-21
ANNUAL REVIEW
Pictured on the cover is Jorge who lives in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. Jorge can usually be seen with a huge smile on his face, but this has not always been the case. Leprosy damaged his nerves and stole the feeling in his hands. Unnoticed cuts became badly infected and caused his fingers to shorten. But everything changed the day Jorge received the cure for leprosy. Today, thanks to your support, he is able to continue farming to earn a living. He helps people affected by leprosy in his community and signposts those with the early signs to treatment. He says, “Don’t take time to get treatment. I lost my fingers because I waited too long.”
WELCOME BY PETER WADDUP, CHIEF EXECUTIVE 2020 came like a thunderbolt, the global pandemic turning our lives upside down. The coronavirus proved indiscriminate, wreaking havoc across both poor and wealthy nations. Few people around the world were left untouched or unscathed by Covid, although the challenges faced differed greatly. In the communities we serve, lockdown posed a threat to life that was as severe as the virus itself. Many people in these communities are day labourers and when lockdown meant that work ceased, they were left without food or basic medical care. Even begging for survival became impossible when they could no longer leave their communities. At the height of the crisis, we were left with no option but to abandon our mission to transform lives so that lives could literally be saved.
terrible ulcers are now experiencing faster healing times due to an exciting new technique. This means they can spend less time in hospital so that beds are freed up and more patients can be helped. It is, however, our aim that people are treated for leprosy before the disease takes its toll physically. Research suggests that for every person found and treated for leprosy, there are a further 19 people who need the cure. To rid the world of leprosy we must find new ways of teaching people that this is a curable disease. It is imperative that we work at the heart of communities to quash age-old stigma that prevents people coming forward for treatment. You will find innovative approaches to this in this Annual Review.
Our teams in Asia and Africa were on the frontline. They risked catching the virus to reach out to those in desperate need, both in our hospitals and at the heart of some of the world’s most marginalised communities. Many even took pay cuts so that vital work could continue. But it was you who enabled emergency medical teams, as well as thousands of food parcels, to reach those in desperate need.
Finally, I would like to thank our Trustees, Vice Presidents and Ambassadors for giving their time and expertise to advocate for people affected by leprosy. I would like to say a special thank you to the Bishop of Peterborough, the Rt Rev Donald Allister, and Songs of Praise Presenter, Pam Rhodes, with whom I was privileged to visit our projects in Bangladesh in January 2020. Thank you also to Paralympian Stef Reid who continues to be a powerful advocate for people with disabilities.
In this Annual Review for 2020, you can read about the many ways you cared for people across Asia and Africa during some of their darkest times. As well as providing an emergency Covid response, you enabled us to honour our financial commitment to the 10 countries in which we work. Because of you, we can continue to support our hospitals, medical outreach work and holistic projects, giving people affected by leprosy a future.
Despite the unprecedented challenges that Covid has brought, you, our wonderful supporters, have never failed to step up when we needed you most, and for this I owe you a debt of gratitude. Your generosity will never be taken for granted and I would like to say a huge thank you. Whether you gave as an individual, as a trust, foundation, business, institution, or through your church, you threw a lifeline when it was needed most.
Each year, on-going research allows us to give improved care to leprosy patients. I am absolutely delighted to share with you the early results of wound healing research that you enabled at Anandaban Hospital in Nepal. Leprosy patients debilitated by
Peter Waddup Chief Executive
PAG E 3 — WE LCOM E
73P IN EVERY £1 RAISED IS SPENT ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
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Chief Executive Peter Waddup meets Dr Saw at Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital in Myanmar Photo: Ruth Towell
NIGER SUDAN
NIGERIA ETHIOPIA
MOZAMBIQUE
INDIA MYANMAR
BANGLADESH
Leprosy is cured by a taking a six to 12-month course of Multidrug therapy (MDT). This is a combination of three drugs that fight the leprosy bacteria. MDT is provided free of charge by the World Health Organisation, donated by Novartis. It’s really important that someone with leprosy is diagnosed and treated quickly, as this reduces the risk of permanent disabilities. Your generosity enables us to work in 10 countries across Asia and Africa, in areas where there are high rates of leprosy or very limited health services. It costs a global average of £24 to administer and transport MDT to a person with leprosy and give them
the care they need at a hospital or clinic. This can range from a hospital outpatients’ department in a large Indian city to running an outreach health camp deep in the African bush. More than 16 million leprosy patients have been treated with MDT over the past 20 years. There is, however, evidence to suggest that for every person treated for leprosy today, there are another 19 who need to be found and cured. Because of you, our dedicated teams can continue this lifechanging work until every person with leprosy has been found and cured.
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
FINDING THE MISSING MILLIONS
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SRI LANKA
PAG E 5 — FI N D I N G T H E M I S S I N G M I LLI O N S
NEPAL
2020 IN NUMBERS 285
PEOPLE IN MYANMAR RECEIVED AGRICULTURAL TRAINING AND SEEDS TO GROW CROPS
4,342
10,000
PUPILS FROM 20 SCHOOLS AND 120 COMMUNITY LEADERS IN ETHIOPIA CHAMPIONED LEPROSY AWARENESS
PEOPLE WERE TREATED BY MEDICS ON BOARD THE KARUNA AMBULANCE IN THE SLUMS OF MUMBAI, INDIA
PEOPLE LIVING IN COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY LEPROSY IN NIGER NOW HAVE CLEAN DRINKING WATER
95,000 PEOPLE WERE CARED FOR AT THREE LEPROSY MISSION HOSPITALS IN INDIA
401
LEPROSY PATIENTS HAD COUNSELLING SESSIONS AT DBLM HOSPITAL, BANGLADESH
PEOPLE WERE TOLD ABOUT LEPROSY IN 198 PLACES OF WORSHIP IN SRI LANKA: 112 CHURCHES, 34 MOSQUES, 27 BUDDHIST TEMPLES AND 25 HINDU TEMPLES
PAG E 7 — 2020 I N N UM B E RS
6,000 112 34 27 25
1,059
706
PEOPLE WERE CURED OF LEPROSY IN NEPAL AS A RESULT OF TRAINING 339 VOLUNTEERS IN LEPROSY DETECTION
48
PEOPLE AFFECTED BY LEPROSY WERE GIVEN PROTECTIVE SANDALS AT THE ABUROFF CLINIC, SUDAN
PEOPLE WERE CURED OF LEPROSY IN MOZAMBIQUE AFTER POP-UP CLINICS WERE HELD IN 141 VILLAGES
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STAFF AT THE CHANCHAGA ORTHOPAEDIC WORKSHOP IN NIGERIA HELPED 1,059 PEOPLE TO IMPROVE MOBILITY
Visvalingam, pictured, with his wife Thangama, were one of 150 households that received agricultural training from our team in Sri Lanka. The couple live with their family near the eastern city of Batticaloa. You enabled them to learn how to grow their own food and provided vegetable seeds and a well. Visvalingam and Thangama now have easy access to clean drinking water. They are also able to wash their hands regularly to help protect them from the coronavirus. Visvalingam said: “We now garden for our food as a family and we have an income from selling vegetables too. I share my crops with my neighbours and encourage them to use our well. I thank you so much for the care you have given to me and my family during this difficult time.”
2020 will be forever linked in our minds with the coronavirus pandemic. Covid saw daily life change beyond recognition across the globe, cruelly robbing many of life itself.
This was at a time when lockdowns saw hospital Outpatients’ Departments lose income from private general patients who were unable to travel because of the restrictions.
But thanks to your incredible heart of compassion, even during a time of real hardship in the UK, you fed and kept thousands of families alive. Your kindness and generosity literally saved lives. Thank you for funding Covid-19 awareness activities for thousands of people affected by leprosy. The communities we work with have learned the importance of social distancing, good hand hygiene, self-isolation, and how to spot the symptoms of the coronavirus.
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
The beginning of the pandemic was an extremely worrying time for The Leprosy Mission globally. A deep Coviddriven financial crisis left our hospital staff struggling to feed their patients. Many dedicated staff members had already taken a pay cut to help the budget go further. The cost of providing isolation beds for Covid patients and securing PPE for frontline staff further depleted hospital budgets.
In a broader context, lockdowns to control the spread of the virus had a devastating effect on the communities we serve. Day labourers were unable to work and feed their families. Communities affected by leprosy are always the most vulnerable and therefore among the first to go hungry.
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Covid knows no borders, race, status or class. Life as we know it in the UK, and in the 10 countries in which we work across Asia and Africa, was turned upside down. Like so many of us, the people we serve suffered from this indiscriminate virus and many went through heart-breaking loss.
It was through your generosity that hospital patients were able to be fed during lockdown. We can imagine the worry of being seriously ill and in hospital, but to go hungry as well would have been unbearable. We can never thank you enough for stepping forward at this crucial time.
PAG E 9 — 2020 T H E Y E A R O F T H E PA N D EM I C
2020 THE YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC
“DURING 2020, THE WORLD KNEW THE DISRUPTION OF SOCIAL TIES AND LIVELIHOODS DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. THE WORLD DISCOVERED THE UNBEARABLE PAIN OF SEPARATION FROM FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS. THE WORLD REALISED THAT INEQUALITIES CAN KILL AND WITNESSED HOW THE STATE CAN EITHER PROTECT OR VIOLATE THE RIGHT TO LIFE. ALL THIS HAD BEEN KNOWN FOR DECADES AND CENTURIES BY PERSONS AFFECTED BY LEPROSY. FOR PERSONS AFFECTED BY LEPROSY, 2020 EMBODIED A CYCLICAL TIME THAT EXPOSED ONCE MORE THE FRAILTIES OF HUMAN LIFE.” ALICE CRUZ, UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS AFFECTED BY LEPROSY
The lives of critically ill coronavirus patients are being saved at Anandaban Hospital in Nepal. Your kindness, and a grant from the UK Government, has provided these patients with high quality care.
During 2020, staff at Anandaban relayed Covid health messaging to 10,000 households in remote mountainous areas. Emergency food and sanitation packs were given to 1,700 vulnerable families. We are immensely grateful to you and the UK Government for providing this emergency response.
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
Above: Pictured is Manoj, the first patient on the Covid isolation ward at Anandaban Hospital
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Staff at Anandaban treated 230 Covid patients in the new isolation ward in the last three months of 2020. This included 81 people affected by leprosy. The ward has a ventilator and respirators. Many lives have already been saved as a direct result and our team continue to meet the needs of people with the virus.
A Covid testing laboratory is operating at Anandaban’s Research Centre. The lab serves the whole community as well as those affected by leprosy and disability.
PAG E 1 1 — O N T H E FRO N T LI N E I N N E PA L
ON THE FRONTLINE IN NEPAL
REMEMBERING THOSE WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR OTHERS
Superintendent of Purulia Hospital, Dr Ujjwal Hembrom, died in October after contracting Covid
Despite this, many frontline Leprosy Mission staff globally have contracted Covid. Tragically, at the time of writing, six have lost their lives to the virus. This includes five staff members in India and one in Bangladesh.
Purulia Hospital in West Bengal is a very special place. It was The Leprosy Mission’s very first hospital, founded in 1888. On the same ground where 29 outcasts with leprosy once found shelter together now lies a place of clinical excellence and hope. Inspired by his Christian faith, Dr Ujjwal felt called to serve at Purulia Hospital, along with his daughter, Dr Sneha. In an interview before his sad passing, Dr Ujjwal told us: “There is something very special about Purulia Hospital. Most of our staff here are from leprosy-affected
Our team’s heart is not to earn more money, but to serve. This is what, I believe, has taken Purulia from strength to strength over the years. My heart is that Purulia will continue to be home to people who have been outcast and abused. Anyone can come and they will be cared for, loved and respected. Our team will continue to do everything we can for people affected by leprosy.” Nitya was a well-known and welcome face at Purulia Hospital and in the nearby leprosy community. As Purulia is situated in the heart of rural India, Nitya ensured that patients and staff were able to get to hospital safely in an area where the transport links are poor and the roads are dangerous. Nitya would also drive doctors to the nearby leprosy community so they could provide vital medical treatment. If someone in the community needed inpatient care, Nitya would take them back to the hospital. The team at Purulia continues to hold Dr Ujjwal and Nitya close to their hearts. Each day they strive to serve patients with the same heart of compassion they witnessed in these two men. Even though they are no longer with us their memory lives on. Together as a global family, we mourn the many lives lost – both staff and patients.
PATIENTS WERE CARED FOR AT PURULIA HOSPITAL IN 2020. DURING THE PANDEMIC THE NEW OUTPATIENTS’ DEPARTMENT YOU FUNDED IN 2017 CAME INTO ITS OWN, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE WHILE THEY WAITED FOR TREATMENT
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
58,554
T L M – A N N UA L RE V IE W 2020 –21
In Autumn 2020, two much-loved team members at The Leprosy Mission’s Purulia Hospital in India died as a result of Covid. They were Dr Ujjwal Hembrom, Superintendent of Purulia Hospital, and Nitya Mardy, the hospital driver.
families so their love for our patients is real. They are full of understanding and compassion.
PAG E 1 3 — REM EM B E RI N G T H OS E WE LOS T
As with our wonderful NHS heroes, Leprosy Mission staff have continued to risk their own health by serving on the frontline. Every precaution has been taken to protect clinical teams across Asia and Africa. This includes taking the temperatures of patients arriving for treatment, using PPE and ensuring social distancing.
YOU ARE SPARING PEOPLE A LIFE OF DISABILITY AND REJECTION
Photo: Tom Bradley
Instead Kajari’s leprosy was diagnosed 30 years too late. By then nerve damage had reduced her fingers to short stubs, and her feet were badly disabled. Living with these serious disabilities it seemed impossible that she would realise her hopes and dreams.
Photo: Tom Bradley
It was at DBLM Hospital that Kajari made friends with Asma and Anwara. This friendship has been a source of joy for the three women who live near each other. Regardless of all the challenges they face, they enjoy spending time together, laughing and encouraging one another. Thanks to you people with leprosy are being found, diagnosed and cured early so that they can enjoy the opportunities that leprosy stole from Kajari.
1,203
PEOPLE WERE DIAGNOSED AND TREATED FOR LEPROSY BY THE LEPROSY MISSION IN BANGLADESH IN 2020
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
Above: L to R Asma Khatun and Anwara Begum with their friend Kajari.
Despite the hand that life has dealt her, Kajari’s inner joy has proved inextinguishable. Thanks to you she receives regular treatment at DBLM Hospital in Northern Bangladesh for ulcers on her feet. Without you these specialist services would simply not exist, and Kajari would not be able to remain independent.
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Kajari comes from a colony of poor street cleaners in Bangladesh. As a young, vivacious girl, she had every hope of working her way out of the community and into a better job. She dreamed of a bright future for the family she hoped to have. At 10 years old she was robbed of this dream. As she grew up, nobody wanted to marry a girl so obviously scarred by leprosy.
As an older woman, Kajari’s reality is that she makes a painstaking 45-minute journey to a school just half a mile from her home. There she sweeps the floors, earning just enough to feed herself.
PAG E 1 5 — S PA RI N G LI V E S
Kajari still has the scars from the very first leprosy patches she had many years ago as a young girl. Each time she catches sight of them she feels a wave of sadness. How different her life might have been if those around her had known about leprosy; if there had been health workers to diagnose and treat the disease.
“WHAT EVERY PERSON AFFECTED BY LEPROSY NEEDS MOST IS TO BE LOVED” The Vice President of The Leprosy Mission, the Bishop of Peterborough, travelled to Bangladesh in January 2020. In Dhaka, the country’s capital, the Rt. Revd Donald Allister shared his vision of a world without leprosy with church leaders of all denominations. Bishop Donald has a real heart to see Jesus’ earthly ministry, of curing leprosy and reaching out to those whom society has cast out, continued. The Leprosy Mission is supporting clergy and volunteers in Bangladesh as they reach out to communities of all faiths, educating them about leprosy. They are being shown how to identify the early symptoms of the disease so that they can refer people for treatment. The message has been well received, with some church leaders even hosting pop-up clinics in their church grounds. Without your faithful support, Bishop Donald’s vision of a world without leprosy would be impossible. Right: The Rt Revd Donald Allister visited the slum areas of Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital. There he witnessed overcrowding, poor sanitation and malnutrition, all of which create an ideal breeding ground for leprosy to thrive.
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GOVERNMENT HEALTH WORKERS IN BANGLADESH HAD LEPROSY TRAINING IN 2020. GOVERNMENT DOCTORS STAFFED MANY POP-UP SKIN CAMPS WHERE HUNDREDS OF NEW LEPROSY CASES WERE DIAGNOSED.
“There are some things Jesus did that we simply can’t do. However, reaching out to people affected by leprosy is something we can and should do. Leprosy has been entirely curable since the early 1980s. It is totally unacceptable that almost 40 years on there are millions of people globally living with untreated leprosy. The cure is available and effective, but it is still a major business to make that known. It’s also a major problem to find the people who need treatment.
Nothing will erase what I experienced in Bangladesh. My trip served as a forceful reminder that God chooses to use His church, His people, you and me, to meet the needs of the most needy. We are His hands and His feet. We can make a difference, one person at a time. Leprosy can be defeated, but it needs our involvement, action, prayer and donations. Christians must step out of the comfort of their churches into the community and work with the most marginalised. I have seen what happens when someone touches or puts their arms around a leprosy patient. For many, it is a long time since they have been treated as a real human being, made and loved by God.”
Below: Bishop Donald is pictured at a pop-up skin clinic held in the courtyard of a church in Dhaka. The clinic is called a ‘skin camp’ to encourage those afraid of leprosy to attend.
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Working at grassroots level is the only way to tackle the stigma that prevents people coming forward for treatment. I’m encouraged by the receptiveness of church leaders in Bangladesh to take on board the mission to end leprosy. I pray that the church at home, and in countries where leprosy is endemic, will unite to end this ancient disease.
Life in the poverty-stricken communities of the Bangladeshi capital is extremely hard. And this is without having to bear the emotional and physical impact of leprosy. It has been a privilege to witness compassion and healing, to see doctors reaching out just as Jesus did.
PAG E 17 — B I S H O P D O N A LD WRI T E S
BISHOP DONALD WRITES...
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
OPENING MINDS IN NIGERIA Can you imagine being abandoned by your family, friends and community simply because you have a treatable disease? Tragically this is what happens to many people with leprosy every day. Because of ancient myths and superstitions or a lack of understanding, many people are still terrified of leprosy. People like young Friday carry deep emotional scars because of the way they have been treated. Friday’s parents cut all ties with him when he was diagnosed with leprosy at only 11 years old. Thanks to you, Friday’s story has a happy ending, despite the deep pain he suffered in his young life. Young people traumatised like this need strong mental health support to help them believe they aren’t defined by leprosy. As well as managing the physical scars of this disease, emotional support helps them to move forward and live fulfilled lives.
787 CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AFFECTED BY LEPROSY AND LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS IN NIGERIA ARE RECEIVING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. THIS IS THANKS TO COMIC RELIEF FUNDING THE OPEN MINDS PROJECT.
I grew up in a loving family in a small village in Nigeria. I lived with my brothers and sisters and my parents. We had a good life. We were surrounded by friends in our village, and I was safe and well. But when I was 11 everything changed. I noticed a numb patch on my foot. It got worse and, in the end, I had no feeling in my foot at all. My friends began to notice when we were playing. At first my parents took me to a traditional healer. But my foot didn’t get better.
My mum took me back to the hospital at Chanchaga and left me there. I was 11 years old and completely alone. It was a very dark time for me.”
He has plans to go to university and eventually become a teacher. Friday said that without Mary and The Leprosy Mission he would have died. Because of your generosity he has been given back his life!
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
Thanks to you, desperate situations like this can often be turned around. Mary, a kind nurse at Chanchaga Hospital, took Friday in and cared for him. His leprosy was cured and he went back to school. Despite being deserted by his family, Friday now has hope for the future.
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Finally my mum took me to The Leprosy Mission’s hospital in Chanchaga, where I was diagnosed with with leprosy. When we arrived home my father would not let me in our house. He said I couldn’t be part of my family anymore and I couldn’t live with them. I was forced to leave. They thought I was cursed and unclean. They were afraid.
PAG E 19 — FRI DAY ’ S S TO RY
“MY NAME IS FRIDAY...
THANK YOU FOR BEING A HOSPITAL HERO People affected by leprosy need heroes. They often live in extremely poor conditions and have very limited access to medical care. Without prompt treatment for leprosy, they face disability. This can leave them unable to work, sometimes with no option but to beg for survival.
has been a place of love and expert medical provision. This simply couldn’t have happened without the compassion of supporters like you.
Prejudice and discrimination surrounding leprosy tear families apart. Many people affected by the disease say that suicide sometimes feels like the only option.
Dr Saw is an incredible Hospital Hero. Driven by compassion, he once trekked for two days to reach a leprosy patient living in a remote area who needed urgent care.
Hospital Heroes working for The Leprosy Mission cure and treat thousands of people each year. At specialist leprosy hospitals, they give unconditional love and skilled medical care. The team work tirelessly for long hours, earning a fraction of the salaries they could elsewhere.
He performs lifechanging surgery at Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital to restore mobility to clawed hands and damaged feet. This means people affected by leprosy can work again. Employment brings not only an income, but self-worth and dignity.
For more than a century, Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital in Myanmar
Your support for the Hospital Heroes campaign has enabled medics like Dr Saw to find people like Phyo.
Dr Saw said, “Thank you very much for supporting our hospital and staff. With your help we are changing the lives of people with leprosy and disability.”
1,010 LEPROSY PATIENTS WERE CARED FOR AT MAWLAMYINE CHRISTIAN LEPROSY HOSPITAL IN MYANMAR IN 2020 Left: Dr Saw – Photo: Ruth Towell
PAG E 21 — H OS PI TA L H E RO E S
Photo: Ruth Towell
Left: Pictured is Ko, a taxi driver and leprosy patient at Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital. He said, “I would be in big trouble without this hospital. I’d lose my second leg. If I couldn’t work because I had no legs, I wouldn’t be able to provide for my family.” Photo: Ruth Towell
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
I met my wife here when I was receiving treatment. It has been very hard because my wife’s family cannot accept me as her husband. Because of my disabilities we had to leave her village. I can only get the help I need from this hospital. Without it, I would lose my foot. Without the supportive medical team here I would have died.”
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Above: Pictured is Phyo with his wife Mahwe and three-year-old son Chit Yin Htoo. Phyo said, “I was diagnosed with leprosy at Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital. When I first heard I had leprosy I was so afraid I ran away. Leprosy has badly damaged my fingers and my eye. I am being treated for a severe ulcer on my foot.”
NEW LIVES AND RENEWED HOPE People in Ethiopia have been given fresh hope after accessing specialist leprosy services for the first time. Thanks to a generous grant from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA), a new Physiotherapy Unit has opened at Boru Meda Hospital in South Wollo. The unit provides the only specialist leprosy services in the vast Amhara region, home to 20 million people. Life can be extremely hard in Ethiopia, particularly for people with disabilities. Without specialist medical support, people affected by leprosy can become too disabled to work. All too often they find themselves cast out and unsupported, struggling to survive. As well as helping those with disabilities, staff based at Boru Meda Hospital are teaching people to protect their hands and feet which have lost feeling because of leprosy. This vital education is preventing many from becoming disabled in the first place.
In a bid to end leprosy in the Amhara region, 119 health workers have been trained in leprosy detection and treatment. Nineteen health workers have also received specialist training in complications surrounding leprosy. In addition, two lab technicians have been trained in skin smear testing to formally diagnose the disease. The grant from JOA has also given new opportunities to 100 children affected by leprosy. They are being supported through school and vocational training so that they can break the cycle of poverty and become independent. We are incredibly grateful to JOA for bringing clinical expertise and fresh hope to people affected by leprosy in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
JOA is also funding training in leprosy detection and treatment for health workers. A lack of healthcare and education, coupled with prejudice surrounding leprosy, all too often mean the disease is not found quickly. Heartbreakingly, this results in people needlessly becoming disabled.
1,680
PATIENTS ACCESSED SPECIALIST LEPROSY AND REHABILITATION SERVICES AT BORU MEDA HOSPITAL
“IT’S A CAUSE FOR GREAT CELEBRATION THAT THE PEOPLE OF JERSEY ARE PROVIDING VITAL DISABILITY REHABILITATION SERVICES. THIS IS ALL THE MORE POIGNANT BECAUSE SO MANY ESSENTIAL SERVICES WORLDWIDE ARE BEING SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED OR WITHDRAWN BECAUSE OF COVID-19.”
PAG E 2 3 — N E W LI V E S A N D RE N E WE D H O PE
EDWARD LEWIS HEAD OF PROGRAMMES AT JERSEY OVERSEAS AID
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A GIFT OF FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE People affected by leprosy have been given the gift of freedom and independence after receiving artificial limbs, protective footwear and mobility aids at Chanchaga Orthopaedic Workshop in Nigeria. It is thanks to you that each one of these people has an opportunity to, once again, live life to the full. For Nuhu, the prospect of a normal life was unimaginable. His leg had been amputated as a result of complications caused by leprosy and he was unable to work. Having gone through the trauma of amputation, Nuhu’s suffering was not over. His wife, discovering that he had leprosy and was now an amputee, decided she could no longer stay with him. To make matters worse, his friends also abandoned him. There are so many myths and misunderstandings surrounding leprosy in Nigeria that people with little knowledge are afraid of the disease and those who have it. Nuhu felt afraid too. Alone and scared for his future, it was no surprise that depression set in.
Nuhu told us, “This has completely changed my life for the better.” Thank you for giving the precious gift of freedom and independence to so many people like Nuhu. Chris was inspired to work at Chanchaga Orthopaedic Workshop seven years ago when he met a man who lost his lower leg as a result of leprosy. The man’s life was given new meaning and purpose when he had a prosthetic leg fitted at the workshop. Chris was impressed by the high quality craftmanship of the artificial limb. But more than that, it was the hope and freedom it embodied that led him to Chanchaga and a career as a technician. Chris said, “What we do here impacts lives. It is about love, passion, and care for people who are vulnerable.” Thanks to a generous grant from the Guernsey Overseas Aid & Development Commission, the workshop received a delivery of much-needed new equipment so that more people like Nuhu can be helped by Chris and his colleagues.
However, Nuhu’s life was about to take an upward turn. He was welcomed at The Leprosy Mission’s Orthopaedic Workshop in Chanchaga where he was made to feel at home. He was shown care and acceptance as the team fitted his bespoke prosthetic leg.
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PEOPLE AFFECTED BY LEPROSY RECEIVED ARTIFICIAL LIMBS, PROTECTIVE FOOTWEAR AND MOBILITY AIDS AT CHANCHAGA ORTHOPAEDIC WORKSHOP IN NIGERIA
Left: Nuhu learns to walk on his new bespoke prosthetic leg at Chanchaga Orthopaedic Workshop, Nigeria
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STEF REID, PARALYMPIAN AND AMBASSADOR FOR THE LEPROSY MISSION
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THIS IS WHY THE LEPROSY MISSION IS SUPPORTING CHANCHAGA ORTHOPAEDIC WORKSHOP.”
PAG E 2 5 — A G I F T O F FRE E D OM
“NO AMOUNT OF SMILING AND NO AMOUNT OF POSITIVITY IS GOING TO GIVE YOU YOUR INDEPENDENCE BACK AFTER AMPUTATION. FOR THAT YOU NEED A REALLY AWESOME ARTIFICIAL LEG OR ARTIFICIAL ARM.
NEW TREATMENT MEANS FASTER HEALING A pioneering treatment to speed up the healing of wounds was newly administered for leprosy in 2020. Nerve damage often robs someone with leprosy of feeling in their hands and feet. Without the gift of pain, one in five leprosy patients develop ulcers which, if left untreated, can lead to serious disability and even amputation. It is hard to imagine not being able to feel your hands and feet. Stones trapped in your shoes cause wounds and burning your hand on the fire while cooking goes unnoticed. Before you even realise, untold damage has been done. Even minor cuts and burns can easily turn into severe ulcers. People affected by leprosy often have frequent hospital stays to cure severe ulcers. The traditional method of ulcer treatment sees the wound cleaned and dead skin removed. A dressing is then applied. While this encourages the natural healing of the skin, it can still take months or even years.
Ulcer patients often spend months in hospital. For a daily labourer who needs to feed their family, the prospect of a lengthy hospital stay is devastating. However, there is now incredible hope. Thanks to a new technique being trialled at The Leprosy Mission’s Anandaban Hospital in Nepal, healing times are now half the length when compared to using traditional methods. The technique, called Leukocyte and Platelet Rich Fibrin (LPRF), involves spinning a patient’s blood sample in a centrifuge to separate the red and white cells into two layers. The white blood cells and platelets coagulate to create a gel membrane. This is a precious concentration of the body’s own healing growth factors and infection-fighting agents. The membrane is then applied directly to the wound site and covered with a dressing. The whole process is complete in 30 minutes and dressings are reapplied every week.
HOW LPRF TREATMENT WORKS
1
2
3
4
CENTRIFUGE PATIENT'S BLOOD SAMPLE
WHITE AND RED BLOOD CELLS SEPARATE INTO LAYERS
GEL MEMBRANE OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS AND PLATELETS
MEMBRANE IS APPLIED DIRECTLY TO ULCER
LPRF treatment has also been successfully trialled on diabetic foot ulcers at Anandaban Hospital. This is a development that could have enormous potential globally. In the UK alone, 10 per cent of diabetes patients, equating to 450,000 people, develop a foot ulcer at some point in their lives. First used in dentistry, LPRF is now part of a wider research project between Anandaban Hospital and the University of Birmingham. The study, funded by The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), will run until December 2023.
Dr Indra, senior surgeon at Anandaban says, “LPRF is lifechanging for patients. Their wounds heal so much faster. They can return to their families and jobs, if they are blessed to have them, without too much disruption. There are so many benefits all round. Faster healing frees up hospital beds so we can treat more people affected by leprosy. There is always a huge need, and it is our calling to reach everyone possible who needs our help. LPRF is natural, cheap and safe. It is a simple procedure that can be carried out by nursing staff and paramedics.” The Leprosy Mission is incredibly excited to be part of this groundbreaking initiative that will revolutionise ulcer treatment around the world.
PAG E 27 — A PI O N E E RI N G T ECH N I Q U E
Initial results have proved promising. For some patients, ulcers healed in as little as a week. A total of 97% of patients saw their ulcers completely healed in seven weeks. This is half the healing time of traditional methods.
T L M – A N N UA L RE V IE W 2020 –21
Left: Raju’s foot before (on phone) and after LPRF treatment.
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
Above: Dr Indra carrying out LPRF on the first leprosy patient at Anandaban Hospital. Raju, 59, was diagnosed with leprosy when he was 27. He first came to Anandaban 12 years ago. His ulcers became so badly infected that he had to undergo septic surgery and have some of his toes amputated. In 2018 he was successfully given LPRF treatment to heal a severe ulcer on his left foot.
WORKING AT THE VERY HEART OF THE COMMUNITY Training health workers to diagnose leprosy and running skin camps will always be central to fighting the disease.
something to be ashamed or scared of. Only when this cultural shift has taken place will leprosy finally be consigned to history.
Yet Leprosy Mission teams know that more must be done at a community level. The battle to end leprosy cannot be won until people are able to identify the early signs of the disease and have the confidence to seek treatment.
In some African countries, traditional healers far outnumber doctors. A visit to the traditional healer is often the first port of call for someone with a health concern, and traditional healers have incredible power to influence their communities. Leprosy Mission teams all too often hear of someone with leprosy being prescribed a special bath by a traditional healer as a cure. It is only when it doesn’t work that people then consider medical help. As a result, valuable time is wasted
In many countries, prejudice surrounding leprosy remains as severe as in Biblical times. New ways of spreading the word are needed for people to realise that leprosy is completely curable, and not
Right: In many African countries a visit to a traditional healer is the first port of call for someone in need of medical care. Photo: Ricardo Franco Left: Florinda leads the singing at a community health camp in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
“FOR TOO LONG THIS NEGLECTED BUT DEBILITATING DISEASE HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED. LEPROSY SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO BLIGHT LIVES IN THE 21ST CENTURY.” WENDY MORTON, MINISTER AT THE FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
leaders in Niger can now be scaled up to reduce stigma and discrimination in many more communities.
In 2020, traditional healers across five regions of Niger were taught to recognise the early signs of leprosy. They are now referring suspected cases to health workers who can give a formal diagnosis and the cure.
Literacy levels are often low in the countries in which we work. This can be particularly apparent among women who are less likely than men to finish their education. It is therefore essential to educate people about leprosy in culturally appropriate ways.
In 2020, religious leaders in Niger were trained to detect the early signs of leprosy and dispel myths surrounding the disease. This pilot project working with traditional healers and religious
In Mozambique, people communicate and learn through song, dance and drama. Leprosy Mission teams are hosting health camps where these methods of sharing information are used. Florinda, a Community Worker in Cabo Delgado, says people remember messages delivered in songs. She believes music paves the way to ending leprosy in Mozambique. It is thanks to you that these new and innovative approaches to finding and curing people of leprosy are being embraced. We are excited to see the number of people coming forward for timely treatment and are encouraged that this will continue into the future.
T L M – A N N UA L RE V IE W 2020 –21
Religious leaders are also joining the fight against leprosy. Priests, pastors and Imams are trusted voices in the communities they serve and lever significant influence. As well as appearing in the Bible, the story of Jesus healing a man with leprosy also features in the Quran. Jesus welcoming this man back to the fold is an encouraging message for all to use in their communities. Jesus’ actions challenge an ancient myth, still prevalent in many parts of Africa, that a person with leprosy is somehow cursed.
PAG E 2 9 — T H E H E A RT O F T H E COM MU N I T Y
before receiving the cure for leprosy, leaving the person at risk of completely avoidable disability.
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
FINANCE SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTS This summary financial information below is not the statutory accounts but has been derived from the audited financial statements which were approved by the Trustees on 24 April 2021 and other financial information. The full statements have been audited and given an unqualified report. Copies of the full statements have been submitted to the Charity Commission and Companies House. The summary below may not contain sufficient information to allow for a full understanding of the financial affairs of the charity. The full accounts, including the audited report, may be obtained from The Leprosy Mission England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man on the website leprosymission.org.uk
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 2020
2019
Donations
4,701,610
5,127,175
Legacies
3,876,726
2,343,558
Government grants
1,279,357
573,697
15,037
18,179
116,704
-
9,989,434
8,062,609
Expenditure on raising funds
2,024,136
2,028,435
Expenditure on charitable activities
5,656,494
6,123,803
7,680,630
8,152,238
72
212
2,308,876
(89,417)
0
287,000
4,824,081
4,626,498
7,132,957
4,824,081
INCOME
Income from investments Other income (2020 - JRS income) TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
GAIN / (LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) AND NET MOVEMENTS IN FUNDS FOR THE YEAR
MOVEMENT ON DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION SCHEME
RECONCILLIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward at 1 January
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD AT 31 DECEMBER
PAG E 31 — FI N A N CE
SOURCES OF FUNDING AND HOW IT IS SPENT
T L M – A N N UA L RE V IE W 2020 –21
LE PROS Y D E FE AT E D, LI V E S T R A N S FO R M E D
The Leprosy Mission England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, Goldhay Way, Orton Goldhay Peterborough, PE2 5GZ 01733 370505 post@tlmew.org.uk globe leprosymission.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1050327
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