History of leprosy in this country

History of leprosy in this country

In 1974, Cameroon demonstrated its political will to fight against leprosy by putting in place a national system of co-ordination. The first survey was made in 1975. It recorded 43,816 people with leprosy at a time when the population numbered 5,856,863 - that is 75 cases of leprosy per 10,000 inhabitants. Eleven years later, when Aide aux Lépreux Emmaüs-Suisse established a regional office in Yaoundé, there was a need to find ways to develop structures and resources that could ensure greater follow-up of the National Programme.

By 1996 the number of people with leprosy had fallen considerably to 1850. Among a population of 12,121,002 this is the equivalent of 1.51 cases per 10,000 inhabitants.  This drop reflected the efficiency of the strategies that had been implemented and the introduction of MDT as the means of treating people with leprosy in 1985. Initially only 14.3% of people needing treatment for leprosy received MDT. Today all those who are diagnosed with leprosy in Cameroon are treated with MDT. In 1998, there was less than one person per ten thousand with leprosy.

In 2006, 416 new cases of leprosy were recorded and the number in 2007 was 492. Besides looking after people who are taking treatment for leprosy, much remains to be done for those individuals who have been cured of this disease, but are still facing social consequences of having had leprosy.

One of the key objectives of the current plan 2008-2011 of the National Leprosy Elimination Programme is to rid the country of leprosy by treating all people who have this disease. Another important aim is to ensure, through early detection, that no other people develop grade two disability as a result of leprosy. It is vital to ensure that all people affected by leprosy have access to health. Equally, it is important that the authorities and donors are aware of the necessity of fighting leprosy. 


Of Further Interest:

Cardinal Paul-Emile Léger
Cardinal Paul-Emile Léger decided in 1967 to step down as Archbishop of Montreal. He went to the Cameroon, where he founded Fame Pereo Institute for Lepers and the Center for the Rehabilitation of the Handicapped.

A  Man and His Mission: Cardinal Léger in Africa
(A photographic essay about Paul Emile Léger’s work in the Cameroon)
Author: Ken Bell 
Published by Scarborough, Ont. Prentice Hall 1976
ISBN: 0135481155 / 9780135481158