German Leprosy & TB Relief Association (GLRA) – India
GLRA India was established in 1966 with a vision “A world in which no one suffers from Leprosy, TB & other poverty related diseases and their consequences such as physical disability and social exclusion”. GLRA promoting; Leprosy, TB, Disability and Humanitarian Assistance through our partner NGOs and direct projects GLRA is one of the pioneer organizations in social rehabilitation and over the last 5 decades, a total of 275,000 leprosy affected people and their families are socially rehabilitated by the organizational “mantra” transforming lives and restoring confidence.
Currently, GLRA India has been implementing 4 thematic projects in 80 districts in 15 Indian states. We work directly as well as in collaboration with local partners to facilitate a catalytic change in the lives of millions. The states are Andhra Pradesh (2), Bihar (1), Chhattisgarh (1), Delhi (4), Gujarat (33), Jharkhand (1), Kerala (3), Madhya Pradesh (1), Maharashtra (2), Rajasthan (1), Sikkim (4), Tamil Nadu (6), Telangana (2), Uttar Pradesh (3), West Bengal (17).
GLRA supports 10 leprosy referral hospitals in 8 states with 485 beds including 5 RCS facilities. The services range from leprosy diagnosis, treatment, management of reaction/ulcer, re-constructive surgeries, provision of aids & appliances and specialized footwears. GLRA also providing technical support to NLEP through our NLEP Consultants and supervisors in two states (Gujarat & West Bengal). Social Inclusion is GLRA’s cross-cutting theme that the affected people are empowered to increase their participation in the community, facilitating formation of their groups, addressing right based issues and advocating for a social change. Our referral hospitals are
India
ALM has been active in India over 100 years. ALM supported a number of NGOs and hospitals from 1900 to the 1940s, including what is now CMC Vellore. ALM helped found Karigiri in 1955. Initial partnerships included mission hospitals, and now extends to NGOs with health and community development programmes, ILEP partners, healthcare facilities (HCFs), advocacy organizations and scientific research centres. Currently, in India, ALM collaborates actively with LEPRA; SIHRLC, Karigiri and HRL Pvt Ltd (Health Informatics Rapid Design Lab), IIPH, Hyderabad.Nepal
Activities in Nepal commenced in the 1990s with technical assistance at three different leprosy hospitals. Since then ALM’s work has included the MOH, HCFs, NGOs with health and community development programs, faith-based organizations and advocacy groups. Currently, in Nepal, ALM collaborates actively with Nepal Leprosy Trust, Lalgadh Hospital; Leprosy Mission Nepal, Anandaban Hospital; and Nepal Leprosy Fellowship.Myanmar
ALM began work in Myanmar in the 1990s, and was instrumental in leading a coalition of INGOs in support of the MoH’s NLCP for nearly 20 years. Additionally, it facilitates, since 2000, programmes with NGOs and faith-based organizations.Philippines
Activities in the Philippines started in the 1900s. It was the first operational country for ALM after its founding, in 1906. ALM partnered with the Philippines’ Department of Health for more than 75 years, was instrumental in the roll-out of MDT, and from the 1970s to the 2010s collaborated with NGOs, research centres, government sanitaria, and a variety of CBOs and advocacy organizations.Bangladesh
ALM’s work from the 1990s to the 2010s included technical support and training at leprosy hospitals and clinics, and a large multi-year research project (COLEP) from 2002 – 2008.
Zero Discrimination
For decades, the focus of leprosy eradication program has been limited to prevention and treatment of leprosy cases. While MDT has been pivotal in successful treatment of leprosy, the social aspects of stigma and discrimination of leprosy affected individuals has been an ignored frontier. We at GLRA-India, for long have believed that it is the social acceptance of the leprosy affected population that needs to be worked on, besides working on their medical rehabilitation. While the latter should occupy centre stage, the social aspect should not be compromised on to ensure that such individuals are not lost to the disease. With an intentional move, GLRA has established health education, rehabilitation and vocational training centre units many decades before. The major paradigm shift was from the leprosy focused socio-Economic Rehabilitation (SER) to the Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) approach where all persons with disabilities are equally acknowledged and accepted. This approach ensures inclusion of leprosy affected people in each and every community forum GLRA formulated such as SHGs, Organization of People with Disabilities (OPD/DPOs).
GLRA-India has always ensured not only identification and steering of the affected individual towards medical treatment but has made sure that the community and care-givers receive health education, and post-treatment the individuals are restored back into the community into a life of dignity and self-reliance. Additionally, GLRA has provided economic support to the affected individuals/ dependents of affected to safeguard their livelihood to live a life with dignity.