Beyond Cure In Leprosy
Around 3.5 million leprosy patients suffer due to their ongoing post treatment deformities, their numbers increasing each year. Despite successful treatment for leprosy which kills the leprosy germs, they undergo progressive and often irreversible nerve damage which results in deformities of their feet, hands, face and eyes. If not attended to competently by the health system, it would result in severe deterioration of quality of their daily lives with inability to earn or function. As patients age, they are also afflicted with other comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and cancers which augment their suffering and financially drain them.
This stage of disease is unknown to most people. Whist rehabilitation centres have been created by the government, they are largely dysfunctional, poorly located and do not offer comprehensive services to such patients.
BEYOND CURE is a film that testifies to the sufferings of these patients and suggests measures both community and public health based that can relieve their suffering.
