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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A group of men affected by leprosy sits under the sun outside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal’s Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A patient sits outside a ward inside Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A group of women affected by leprosy chat inside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal’s Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A patient affected by leprosy combs her hair inside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A man affected by leprosy lays in his bed inside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal’s Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A woman diagnosed with leprosy sits on her bed while having lunch inside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal’s Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A man affected by leprosy sits outside a self-care house provided by Leprosy Mission Nepal near the Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A man affected by leprosy sits on his bed inside a room at Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A woman with ulcers on her feet moves around using a table with wheels attached while carrying her food inside Leprosy Mission Nepal’s Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A group of patients affected by leprosy rest in a room inside Leprosy Mission Nepal’s Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A woman affected by leprosy is seen reflected in a mirror hanging from the wall inside a room where she sits on her bed at Leprosy Mission Nepal’s Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: Names of patients are written on a whiteboard together with their diagnosis in a ward inside Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A man affected by leprosy lays on his bed inside a room at Leprosy Mission Nepal’s Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A young boy affected by leprosy lays on his bed inside a room while a doctor stands outside at Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A man affected by leprosy carries empty dishes inside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A woman with ulcers on her feet moves around using a table with wheels attached while carrying her food inside Leprosy Mission Nepal’s Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A woman affected by leprosy shows her hands outside a self-care house provided by Leprosy Mission Nepal near the Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A man affected by leprosy lays on his bed inside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A man affected by leprosy lays on his bed inside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
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© 2021 Omar Havana
LELE, NEPAL - JANUARY 24: A group of patients affected by leprosy poses inside a ward at Leprosy Mission Nepal's Anandaban Hospital on January 24, 2015 in Lele, Nepal. Photo: © Omar Havana / Getty Images
Public Story
The Forgotten
Credits:
omar havana
Date of Work:
01/24/15 - 01/24/15
Updated: 12/14/20
People affected by leprosy in Nepal still suffer from stigma and discrimination, in addition to the long-term disabilities and other health effects resulting from leprosy; they continue to be shunned and even forgotten by the rest of the society, due to the legacy of policies of the past, which ostracised hospitals and communities because of the fear of contagion.
Nepal’s predominantly Hindu culture means that leprosy also called “Hansen’s disease,” a chronic disease caused by the Mycobacterium leprae bacterium is considered by many communities to be a punishment for sins committed in former lives. Although prevalence of leprosy in Nepal fell to below 1 in 10,000 people in October 2009, meaning leprosy is no longer considered a “public health problem,” according to a survey conducted at the end of the 2013/2014 fiscal year, 2,271 people remained under treatment for leprosy, or a registered prevalence rate of 0.83 in 10,000 people.
New cases of leprosy continue to occur disproportionally in the South East Asian Region (SEAR), which includes Nepal, with the region carrying 72% of the global leprosy burden; 2010 data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that more than 97% of the more than 228,000 new cases that year were found in only 17 countries. According to a recent study by the International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations (ILEP), Nepal is one of several countries with laws in place which discriminate against people affected by leprosy.
Photography: ©Omar Havana / Getty Images. All Rights Are Reserved