Three weeks a year, I volunteer for the Leprosy Mission. Leprosy is a disease caused by a bacterium that affects the skin and the nerves underneath. Apart from loss of feeling in the limbs, leprosy in its worst form also causes paralysis, injuries and deformities. It is therefore important to recognise leprosy as early as possible so that it can still be treated. In February this year, I flew to Malwlamyine in Myanmar with a fellow plastic surgeon. There, we assisted local doctors in their work to help patients regain a full role in society. In this blog article, I would like to take you on this journey.
On the road for Leprosy mission with new instruments
After a more than successful fundraiser to buy instrumentation for the leprosy hospital in Malwlamyine, we left for Myanmar on 31 January. After two days of travelling via Kuala Lumpur, Yangon and a long bus ride of no less than eight hours, we arrived in Malwlamyine. Once there, we and the local doctors made a list of patients we could help during the three weeks of our stay. We also visited leprosy patients already in hospital. What harrowing situations we encountered in the process! Because the mutilation due to leprosy was already too advanced, we could not help everyone.
Leprosy patients operate under challenging conditions
Most patients (except small children) are operated under local anaesthesia. To be able to help small children too, we called on an anaesthetist from another hospital. He worked with us for one day so that we could still operate on these children. The operating theatre conditions were very primitive and the available instruments left much to be desired. So the new instruments we brought along were used immediately. The equipment also sometimes broke down and the power regularly failed, all situations that do not occur in the Netherlands and which made the work very challenging.
Help is needed at all levels
During our visit, we were able to operate on 64 patients. Many operations were performed to improve the position of hands and feet affected by leprosy, but we also treated burns and harelips and performed eyelid corrections. We have also been able to help many people with other problems, for example by putting plaster on clubfoot and giving injections of anti-inflammatories. Sometimes we had to refer someone to a larger hospital because the procedure could not be performed at this hospital.
Microcredits for reintegration into society
The Leprosy Mission is not just concerned with fighting the effects of leprosy. The beauty of the mission is its comprehensive approach. We are not only in Myanmar to operate on leprosy patients, but can also help people reintegrate into society. We do this by assisting with micro-credits. As part of this, the Leprosy Mission also assists people in the process of building houses and buying animals. The cost of the house and animals is about 1,300 euros. Everything is arranged locally, after which the necessary money is transferred from the Netherlands. This enables people to earn a living and take care of their children again. It also gives them a chance for other work. For example, a farmer can now work again as a stall hawker.
Satisfied back home, ready for the next trip
Partly due to the good cooperation with the doctors and nurses from the leprosy hospital, the mission was a success. Although the living and working conditions were different from what we are used to, the inner peace, joy and gratitude of the patients and their families made a deep impression on me! Perhaps we can realise another house or help someone by paying for an education. We will make sure that all donations actually benefit the Leprosy Mission in Myanmar and especially the patients in the leprosy hospital in Malwlamyine.
Would you like to support our initiative? Then please take contact with me.
