History

LEPRA Health in Action started in 1924 as the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association, a medical organisation concentrating on outpatient work and research into leprosy. In the 1960s, LEPRA began work in Malawi supported by fundraising appeals in the UK media, expanding overseas work in the 1970s to support a further 11 countries. The LEPRA Society of India, formed in 1989, is now its largest programme, running projects and providing support to Government and local NGOs. By 1995, LEPRA India had cured 100,000 patients. Support for State leprosy programmes started in Brazil in 1993, Mozambique in 1998, and a direct programme in Bangladesh started in 2000. In 1997, LEPRA was able to transfer responsibility for the National Leprosy Control Programme in Malawi to the Government, after reducing the number of registered patients from around 30,000 in 1965 to less than a thousand. Royal patronage has always been important to LEPRA. In the 1950s, King George VI became the first royal sponsor of LEPRA, and in 1999, LEPRA celebrated its 75th Anniversary in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. LEPRA was elected as a Member of ILEP in 1976.

Priorities

LEPRA has adopted new strategies to interrupt the chain of transmission of leprosy and treat people affected by it. This necessitates broader strategic alliances to reach the goal of the eradication of leprosy. Therefore, the following choices have been made. LEPRA will be a growing organisation. Leprosy and its consequences will remain the central focus. However, the scope of activities will broaden to maximise impact in areas affected by leprosy. This could mean that in some areas, leprosy might not remain the largest element of the programme. LEPRA will continue to support projects where they are actively involved and influence the decision making process. The focus of development will not be merely as a grant-making organisation. In recognition of the reality of integration, LEPRA will take the lead in the process and will seek to influence governments and agencies working to this end, to ensure that the needs of people affected by leprosy are met.