World Leprosy Day

Yesterday was the 57th annual World Leprosy Day. Together with the Nepali government and other non-government organisations involved in leprosy work, INF helped to organise a procession in the capital Kathmandu. Yesterday morning at 9.30 INF representatives were among hundreds of people who walked from Basantapur Square to the City Hall, wearing promotional orange baseball caps and carrying banners and placards to raise awareness of the issue of leprosy.

A formal programme was held at the City Hall to honour the contributions of organisations involved in combating leprosy in Nepal. Former INF Member Eileen Lodge was presented with a special award to mark her involvement in setting up INF's Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for people with leprosy and other disabilities. After helping to establish Green Pastures in 1957, Eileen also helped to found the Nepal Leprosy Trust and the Nepal Leprosy Fellowship. Although she is originally from the UK, Eileen now lives in Kathmandu and has become a Nepali citizen.

Last month Nepal's government announced the 'elimination' of leprosy, meaning that incidence has fallen below 1 in 10,000 people. The government is now aiming to 'eradicate' leprosy completely so that there are no new cases, and also aims to end the social stigma associated with the disease. The government is looking to INF and other non-government organisations to help pursue these goals.

INF was represented at yesterday's celebrations by: INF Worldwide Acting Executive Director Seeta Gurung; INF Nepal Kaski District Programme Manager Himalaya Sigdel; INF Worldwide Finance Manager Dhan Gurung; INF Worldwide Government Liaison Officer Shital Subedi; Roz Brain from the INF Worldwide Personnel Department; and Kabina Shrestha from the INF Worldwide Finance Department.

Please click here to help INF help people with leprosy and other disabilities.

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