Leprosy patients, in Along Veng village, complain about the discrimination and psychological persecution they are exposed to because of their disease, despite their treatment of it. Leprosy is an ancient disease, from the middle ages and it is a contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and, in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities causing sick, especially the elderly, to being thrown outside the house, thinking that it is a curse that cannot be cured. Nowadays, Leprosy can be treated, but the stigma is still a problem, so Ciomal, a non-governmental organization, is trying hard to eradicate the disease, and according to a representative of Ciomal in Cambodia, Chann Saren, infection rates have fallen in the country after the program was implemented, the average number of registered cases annually is 100.
– Interview with (Pong Ol – Leprosy affected person):
“My wife and children fled when they discovered I had the disease leaving me stranded, and my siblings sent me to live on a boat on the water. Later, they abandoned me on the river, and monks provided me with food to eat every day. Then, when the bread vendor saw me, he wanted to take a picture of me. He said that he would post the photos after. After my photo was published, the Ciomal lady contacted the provincial governor, commune head, districts, and others in an attempt to locate me. They finally found me. After I realized that I had leprosy disease, I felt upset after hearing people say anyone who has this disease they will not keep inside the village; they will abandon them, kill them, or set fire to them. I felt very upset. The Ciomal lady has built a house for me and sent me to stay in the house. After staying in the house, Ciomal staff gave me a cow. She bought one cow for me. Local villagers here realize that I had this disease. I took tablets and am healed. This disease is cured 100% by taking pills.”
– Interview with (Souern Kai – School teacher and Leprosy Affected):
“When I was thirteen years old, I discovered I had Hansen’s disease (HD) and faced severe discrimination, mainly when I went to a school. The neighbors’ children were not permitted to sit at the same table like mine, nor was I permitted to sit at the same table with other students due to parents’ concerns about transmission to their children. The local people are also tremendously discriminating toward me, and I was demotivated at the time and wanted to commit suicide; I did not want to live anymore. When I went to the hospital, I believed that I was the only one who had this illness; the villagers agreed that I was the only one who had this illness. However, when I underwent treatments in that hospital, I noticed several disabled individuals had sustained more significant harm than I had. At the moment, I want to convey the following: my motivation got back, my strength has returned, and I desire to continue living to inspire people who had the subsequent disease. I am currently employed as a third-grade teacher at Stung Preah Srok Primary School. I had disseminated information about this disease to pupils for them to continue spreading the word to their parents to raise awareness. As fearful of contracting this sickness as I am and because I never conceal it; I constantly inform kids and parents that I have Hansen’s disease (HD), but that I took the tablets and was treated and am now cured; the sickness has vanished; nothing can be transmitted.
Interview with (Chann Saren – Ciomal representative):
“The high rate of leprosy in Cambodia was in 1997 when the national program identified new cases and new cases amounted to more than 4000 new cases per year. Now, the new cases all over Cambodia that were recorded by the National Program for TB and Hansen’s Disease Control, are 100 cases per year. Discrimination still exists for rural patients and patients with severe illnesses and patients with disabilities and discrimination is so high. It has been declining. Discrimination usually happens in rural areas where education is low. The complication of a patient with Hansen’s disease or leprosy is that, after receiving treatment, if the patient has a severe disability, the complication for them is they quickly fall into very high poverty. Because he/she cannot do anything as his physical becomes disabled, and there is discrimination. He or she cannot make any profession as ordinary people, which is why most of Hansen’s patients tend to be the poor. Yes, thank you.
Source- A24