Chairman of the Lepers Aid Committee in Ghana, Rev. Fr. Andrew Campbell, SVD, has called for urgent reforms to ensure that leprosy patients in Ghana receive not only comprehensive medical care but also the dignity they deserve.
Speaking to journalists on the occasion of World Leprosy Day in Accra on January 26, Fr. Campbell emphasised the dire conditions faced by people living with leprosy, lamenting that many are left without proper healthcare due to financial constraints and societal rejection.
“When I see our dear brothers and sisters, the lepers. What do they get? Four cedis a day to live on. I mean, you can’t live on that,” Fr. Campbell said.
He further shed light on the struggles of leprosy patients when they seek healthcare outside of their condition. “When they go to the hospital and present leprosy-related illness, they are treated. But if they have malaria or typhoid, or need any tests, they have to pay for it, and they simply do not have the money,” he explained.
“So many times, they leave the hospital without being cared for because they cannot afford it. This is not right.”
He stressed that leprosy patients should not have to bear the additional burden of financial hardship when accessing healthcare, as they are already victims of stigma and discrimination. “It is not their fault they have leprosy. They are stuck here, rejected by their families and society,” he said.
The missionary Priest called for a change in government policy to ensure that leprosy patients receive full medical treatment, not just for leprosy-related illnesses, but for any health concerns they may face. “I am fighting for them,” Fr. Campbell declared.
“I want the government to ensure that when leprosy patients go to the hospital, they are treated with dignity and respect. That is what I want.”
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