A recent study revealed that about 85 per cent leprosy disabled people in Bangladesh have been suffering from psychological problems besides many other disease-related complications.
The sufferings of the excluded and stigmatised community have intensified manifolds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most of this vulnerable community has been literally left behind from pandemic response programmes as well as deprived of proper information related to hygiene and other health issues during this crisis.
A study titled ‘The Quality of Life and Mental Health Status of people affected by Leprosy and people with Leprosy disability in Bangladesh’ brought the tragic scenario to the fore.
The cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2019 and May 2020 in Dhaka, Moulvibazar, Meherpur, Kustia, Chuadanga and Thakurgaon.
The researchers reached 94 respondents, diagnosed with leprosy, 80 per cent of them were without disability while 20 per cent of them suffered from leprosy disability. The research supported by The Leprosy Mission International, Bangladesh, was authored by Hosne Ara Hoque of Advancing Leprosy and Disadvantaged Peoples’ Opportunities Society while INTERACTION chief executive Serajud Dahar Khan played an advisory role.
According to the World Health Organisation, actions needed in 22 priority countries including Bangladesh as people affected by leprosy continue to suffer discrimination and lack of access to medical care.
Leprosy itself is a highly stigmatised and disgraceful term in society while disability from the disease is the other concern that victimises the patient drastically, said the study.
Study findings showed that over mental health screening, 69 per cent of the people affected by leprosy go through psychological difficulties. It is observed that 85 per cent of the leprosy disabled people and 65 per cent of the general leprosy patients were in poor psychological condition.
According to the study, the overall Quality of Life of the people with leprosy disability was much worse than respondents without disability.
Altogether 40 per cent of leprosy-disabled persons said they were living a poor QoL while 20 per cent had very poor QoL.
