Bangladesh
Dreaming of a leprosy-free country
The Current Situation in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the government is actively working towards an exciting vision of a leprosy-free country.
The government of Bangladesh and non-governmental organizations, like Effect Hope, have taken action to improve the health for many people and communities affected by leprosy.
Since 2013, Effect Hope has partnered with other organizations and the Government of Bangladesh to build a stronger public health system that will support people affected by leprosy.
We’re launching a new phase of our project, Proyash. We’re aiming to improve the health of people affected by leprosy through three key actions:
- Improving access to quality health care, including mental health — especially for women and children
- Actively searching for new leprosy cases within the population;
- Raising awareness about leprosy signs and symptoms to increase demand for care by people affected and at risk of leprosy.
The name of the project is a nod to its visionary goals. Proyash is a Bengali word that means ambition, effort, and to try. We will need your support.
Our Impact In Bangladesh
1,016,741
People Screened For Leprosy
1,936
People Diagnosed With Leprosy And Provided Treated
2,504
People Provided With Custom Shoes
240,056
People Provided With Education About Leprosy
435
People Living In Ultra-poverty Who Were Provided With Supplementary Medicine
559
School Awareness Programs Carried Out
Disabilities Are On The Rise
Unfortunately, recent evidence shows that serious disabilities could be on the rise among people affected by leprosy (data collected in 2019). This is a big change. Previously, these kinds of disabilities were declining among people affected by leprosy in Bangladesh. Due to COVID-19 prevention measures in Bangladesh, it is likely that there are even more people living with serious disabilities
Why is this happening?
Leprosy-related disability is often the result of a late diagnosis and delayed treatment. This is happening for a few reasons.
- Lack of trained healthcare workers: greater financial investment and human resources are needed to provide essential leprosy care in local communities.
- Low rates of active case-finding: efforts to actively search for and identify people affected by leprosy need to increase. Through active case finding, people affected by leprosy are usually diagnosed much earlier.
- Awareness of leprosy is low: this perpetuates a cycle of prejudice and discrimination, preventing people affected by leprosy from seeking much-needed health care.
How You Can Help In Phase 4?
You can join Effect Hope and our partners to support Proyash and help end leprosy and leprosy-related disabilities in Bangladesh. Together, we can take two key actions.Invest in a Stronger Public Health System
The Proyash project will support the integration of leprosy care services into government-provided care. This will create a stronger public health system that will make a lasting difference for the people of Bangladesh.
Your gifts will help to strengthen referral systems and supply chains for footwear, assistive devices (crutches, prosthetics, etc.), and medication. You also can help to provide critical training, technical expertise, and other vital resources that will ensure that more people have access to the care they need.
Proyash will strengthen referral systems and supply chains for footwear, assistive devices, and medication, ensuring that people affected by leprosy can access the services that they need.