The challenge attributed to leprosy or the Hansen’s disease in Nigeria over the years has been so worrisome.

This travels far back from the biblical times when the disease was referred to as Tzaraath and was speculated to be a spiritual affliction due to the transgression of the biblical laws.

This ancient disease was believed to be a curse, and this notion has lived with society for decades, leading to lepers been ostracized in our society, worse of all rejected by even close relatives in most cases.

Leprosy though infectious, but experts say it is less contagious and curable with the multiple drug therapy treatment that is being offered free of charge in all leprosy centres across the country.

Despite this, the difficulties faced by both cured and active leprosy patients in terms of stigmatization and discrimination has remained the disease’s most social problem over time.

The story was not different at the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) Oke Igbala Leprosy Colony in the Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara state.

It was disclosed to The Guardian Newspaper during an interview with a senior health worker of the ECWA Oke Igbala Hospital, Mr. Kayode Ajayi, over the weekend in Omu-Aran. Ajayi said because of stigma and discrimination most of the lepers are subjected to even after being treated and cured, has resulted to the formation of three different communities in the lepers’ colony over the years.

According to him, most of them return from their various communities to live at the colony to avoid maltreatment from the people.

He further said that though the level of maltreatment varies across communities, they still prefer to live at the colony because they find solace there with others of their kind.

It was an eye saw at the colony, as most of these lepers looked helpless and rejected even by their own.

Ajayi affirmed that due to families’ and society’s neglect, almost all of them have resorted to begging in neighboring towns as a means of survival. And they sometimes live on the benevolence of religious bodies that come to donate items to them, he added.

The Guardian spoke with one Mrs. Ebe Obaliafa, who, according to the senior health worker, has been living at the colony for over forty years.

She revealed that after her treatment several years ago, she was taken back home but couldn’t stand the maltreatment due to her disabilities from the disease. And so she returned to the colony and has been there ever since and now she awaits death at the moment.

Other residents also confirmed that they have found sense of belonging at the colony than returning to their various communities.

As an expert in leprosy care, Ajayi explained to The Guardian that the hospital still records new cases of the disease on monthly bases, and it was due to ignorance and mismanagement of the disease when discovered by victims.

Having a stigmatizing disease like leprosy he said, severely affects the patient’s life and they become isolated and lack confidence and motivation to even come out for treatment.

Hitherto now, the hospital enjoyed so much support financially and human resource wise from The Leprosy Mission in Nigeria. But of recent, probably because of reduction in leprosy incidence and perhaps change in donor’s preference, just little aid is gotten from the mission at the moment to augment the bills of leprosy patients at the hospital.

Ajayi said it is dishearten to know that as the only leprosy referred center in the state, government’s presence is not heavily felt, and that the hospital exists almost 95 per cent on its own with little monthly support from the state government, and even with outstanding settlements.

He therefore urged the media to help advocate for the support of governments at all levels to enhance better service delivery and working conditions. He finally admonished the society and families of lepers to accept and help them get reintegrated into the society after been cured.