Leprosy is a disease of poverty and is a slow-spreading airborne communicable disease, caused by a pathogenic bacterium that infects the peripheral nerves. Leprosy disease is also one of the world’s most stigmatized.
World Leprosy Day is observed on the last Sunday of January every year to increase awareness about it.
The stigma surrounding leprosy has seen many families robbed of their livelihood, education, marriage prospects with their hopes and dreams of a normal life shattered.
People affected by leprosy are marginalized in society and even denied basic human rights.
Globally, there are more than three million people living with irreversible disabilities, including blindness, as a result of late treatment of leprosy and in Sri Lanka almost 2,000 new cases are reported every year.
The disease is completely curable with MDT treatment, which is freely available in all government skin clinics in Sri Lanka, but sadly, most people with leprosy avoid taking treatment due to ignorance and the stigma attached to the disease. The Society for the Upliftment and Rehabilitation of Leprosy Affected Persons (SUROL) located at 354/14, Elvitigala Mawathe, Narahenpita, concentrates on supporting disabled leprosy affected persons with a monthly stipend towards their welfare and with assistance for any rehabilitation. At present SUROL supports about 300+ disabled adults and children affected by leprosy but are unable to increase their support base due to lack of funds and resources. Since there are over 4,500 patients in Sri Lanka afflicted with Leprosy, SUROL hopes to take on 50 more every year.
SUROL also gifts two hampers a year to each of these families affected by leprosy during Christmas and the Sinhala/Tamil New Year. In addition, SUROL has been able to assist in house repairs, and provide those in remote areas with basic needs like water for drinking and bathing. Children of affected families affected have been given school books, uniforms, shoes and other essentials towards education.
SUROL depends solely on the largesse of benefactors in Sri Lanka and a few generous donors from overseas to carry out this merciful mission.
If you wish to make a one-off donation or a monthly contribution towards an affected family, you could visit the web sitehttps://surolsrilanka.org/ or email [email protected] for more details. SUROL draws inspiration for their mission in Sri Lanka from Saint Damien of Molokai who was known as the Martyr of Charity and Apostle to Lepers, who showed the world how human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease and of course the selfless work dedicated to leprosy patients carried out by the late Rev Fr. Glen Fernando for almost 16 years at SUROL. (Press release)