The Lepers Aid Committee has disclosed that over 1,000 Ghanaians were living with leprosy.

According to the committee, although treatment and support towards lepers had been scaled up over the last few years, a lot more could be done to improve their living conditions.

Leprosy is a chronic, progressive bacterial infection caused by the bacterium- Mycobacterium leprae.

It primarily affects the nerves of the extremities, the skin, the lining of the nose, and the upper respiratory tract. Leprosy is also known as Hansen’s disease.

Speaking on Starr FM in Accra yesterday, a member of the legal aid committee, Barbara Humphrey Ackumey, said Ghanaians had been supportive of lepers so far.

“In Cape Coast, we have about 100 people suffering from leprosy, 125 in Ho, 100 in the North, 100 at Kokofu and more than 100 in Upper West. But conditions have been better, we have moved from days when it was just coins to support them. Now they get GHC1 feeding fee on daily basis and it’s good but it could be better,” she said.

Backing the claim, the head of the Weija Leprosarium, Rev. Father Andrew Campbell, said conditions of lepers have improved over the years.

He commended Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for his treatment of lepers.

“Things are much better… the Vice President’s gesture was a wonderful experience, it was house warmer. They were so happy and it was so good. The fact that the vice president served them and made sure they had enough food,” he said.

On Sunday, 9th December, 2018, Vice President, Dr Bawumia, and his family organised an end-of-year party for over one hundred cured lepers, some of whom had been abandoned by their families in the leprosariums for over 60 years, at his home in Accra.

Assisted by the Second Lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia, and other officials including Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon Cynthia Morrison, and the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund, Ms Naa Torshie Addo, Vice President Bawumia, who is also a Patron of the Lepers Aid Ghana, danced, sang and served food to the mainly middle aged and old men and women affected by the disease.