INF Nepal is excited to launch its first leprosy fundraising campaign this November. The theme for this 18-month long campaign is ‘Care for Cure’. Since its establishment in 1952, INF has cared for people with leprosy. Motivated by faith, hope, compassion and love, INF continues to treat and rehabilitate people affected by leprosy by providing multi-drug therapy, necessary surgery, peer counselling by former patients, and self-care training for those with disease complications, ongoing impairments and the provision of assistive devices.
Leprosy was declared eliminated in Nepal in 2010. This is defined globally as less than one case of leprosy per 10,000 people in the population. While this is a great achievement, the disease is not entirely eradicated, with over 3,000 registered new cases per year. Annually, the three hospitals of INF Nepal – Green Pastures Hospital- Pokhara, Shining Hospital- Banke and Surkhet diagnose 280 new leprosy cases, admit around 460 leprosy patients for disease-related complications and have more than 24,000 outpatient visits [new and follow up]. And each year the number of patients continues to grow – as leprosy is still spreading in Nepal.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our world, our hospitals are facing a shortfall in funds to continue our leprosy work. Due to pre-existing vulnerabilities and economic difficulties, people affected by leprosy have been among the most seriously impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions. Leprosy treatment is free of cost for the patients. More funds at this hour is a dire need for the continuation of treatment of leprosy patients in our hospitals and to counteract permanent disabilities. We need your support to keep our leprosy services function effectively and continue to save lives. Without your help, people affected by leprosy will have nowhere else to go. Now more than ever, people affected by leprosy need your help. We continue to work, and please help us to help them. None of this work would be possible without your support, and in order to continue helping, we seek for your kindness, compassion and generosity.
Join our movement and become our Partners who CARE. Your gift today will help to care, to cure and ultimately to end leprosy in Nepal.
For more details visit www.inf.org/CareforCure