Leprosy patients’ body threatens demo

The Joint Action Committee of All Leprosy Organisations, Odisha, held a meeting here last week regarding social security issues of leprosy patients and negligence of the State Government and its human rights violations.

The members said that the State Government is spending crores of rupees in different schemes like Ama Gaon, Ama Vikash, but the leprosy community is being shunned by the Government for last 18 years.

Association VP Pradeep Pradhan said many leprosy affected peoples’ organisations had written letters to the Governor, the Chief Minister, the Health Minister, the Chief Secretary, the concerned department officials and also to the Central Government for solving their problems but in vain. 

In the meeting, the association also decided to submit a memorandum to the State Government to fulfil their demands. The demands include allowance of Rs 1,000 to leprosy affected persons, employment and free education to students, filling up of posts of trained leprosy workers under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), besides of doctors, nurses and others in the 14 leprosy hospitals and three leprosy homes in the State.

The association threatened if the demands were not fulfilled within 10 days, it would hold demonstration in front of the Assembly from April 20.

It also threatened that 10 lakh leprosy families would boycott the general elections to be held in protest against the apathy.