leprosy and lepra health in action

Leprosy and LEPRA

Health in Action

How it all began

The History of Leprosy

Alexander the GreatKing Xerxes

Pompey Roman soldiers

Mediaeval Diagnosis

Mediaeval diagnosis was very hit and miss!

Religious justification

The ‘Death’ Sentence

A ‘leper’ with his bell (from a mediaeval manuscript)

The ‘leper’s clapper

‘Lepers’ were forbidden to…

• Enter churches, markets, mills, taverns, bakehouses or into any assembly of people

• Wash their hands or possessions in any spring or water course

• To touch anything except with their staff to show what they wanted

• To have intercourse with anyone except their spouse

• To touch children (even their own) or to give them any of their possessions

The ‘leper’s restrictions

‘Lepers’ getting water

A Change of Attitude

A knight crusader

Leprosy in Britain

Leprosy in Britain

The Death of Leprosy

The Formation of BELRA

Sir Leonard Rogers

Chaulmoogra Oil

The Triumverate

Revd. Frank Oldrieve

BELRA is born

On 31 January 1924, the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association (BELRA) was launched, with the boldly stated aim “To rid the Empire of Leprosy”.

The Indian Council

BELRA leads the way

‘Tubby’ Clayton & ‘Toc H’

Revd. ‘Tubby’ Clayton with

‘Chippie’ in the 1950s

Overseas Workers

The first five

Dapsone – ‘The wonder drug’

The ‘King George V’ of BELRA - Dr. David

Molesworth

New Drugs

• 1940s Dapsone

• 1961 B663 – Clofazimine

• 1972 Rifampicin

• 1980 LEPRA Evaluation Project • 1991 Ofloxacin trials.

A Change of style

Dr. Kamuzu Banda opening the new LEPRA Headquarters in Blantyre,

Malawi

Going International• In 1973 LEPRA took over nation-wide responsibility for leprosy

work in Malawi.

• In 1975 LEPRA was one of the first associations to begin using multi-drug therapy.

• In 1976 LEPRA became a full member of ILEP (The International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations).

• In 1988 LEPRA started its first Indian projects (Bidar and Medak) since India gained Independence,

• In 1993 LEPRA began working in Brazil.

• In 1995 India reached 100,000 patients cured since inauguration.

Going Forward

LEPRA Health in Action has an illustrious past – one of which we should be very proud – but this was only the beginning….the best is yet to come.

For more information please contactIreneA@leprahealthinaction.org or

Tel. +44(0)1206 216730 www.leprahealthinaction.org