Don't stigmatise lepers

Last Sunday, January 26, 2014, marked World Leprosy Day. It is a day which is set aside internationally on the last Sunday of January every year to help increase public awareness of the disease.

In Ghana, the day was observed at the Weija Leprosarium where under the auspices of the Lepers Aid Committee, chaired by Very Rev. Fr Andrew Campbell, who has for long championed the cause of lepers, the inmates interacted  with other members of the public. 

The special guest was the wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Matilda Amissah-Arthur.

Mrs Amissah-Arthur presented some items which included bags of rice, cooking oil, mats, buckets, cups and bowls to the lepers.

Commenting on the need to integrate cured lepers into the society, she urged Ghanaians to accept the cured lepers into their midst since the disease was not contagious and was curable.

She said the continuous rejection of lepers by their families and communities had an effect on the activities at the Leprosarium in terms of high operational costs and advised families of  such people to visit and give them hope.

According to Fr Campbell, the Cummist USA supported them with $52,000, which was used for infrastructure and maintenance.