She was unfamiliar with the bacteria inside her and hence even after taking Multi-Drug- Therapy she didn’t eat or sleep with her children for more than four years. The universe might be testing her as she lost her husband during this span of her life. She was denied her rights towards her husband’s estate. From economic support to emotional care, every door was closed for her. Her tale is not of a patient, this is about a single mother who was an unaware Leprosy patient. But this lady turned out to be a winner. With her will and strength, she changed her dim days into brighter ones.
Rachna Kumari – the story of a Leprosy Hero
Reciting a story about the journey of the woman who went from closed rooms of her house to an international stage. Once upon a time, she was not able to meet her kids and now she is addressing the world and helping women. Her struggle speaks about a lady who was diagnosed with Leprosy and was not aware of the disease. She was diagnosed at a later stage by the AIIMS professionals when the pain and numbness in her fingers became unbearable. Leprosy is a chronic infectious, transmissible, curable, and less talked about disease. The awareness about the disease is next to negligible and hence patients suffer the social dilemma more than the pain due to disease. Leprosy or Hansen’s disease is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium Leprae, affecting the skin, mucosa, and peripheral nerves. The most common symptom is pale-coloured skin sores, lumps, or bumps that do not go away easily.
Patients also undergo leprosy-related nerve damage, which will lead to loss of feeling.
This disease is not transmitted through hug or touch and being uninformed she stayed away.
If she was diagnosed early or proper care was provided to her, she might have recovered early. In such dark days, she needed her family and society to hold her, but the opposite was experienced by her. People are often forbidden and thrown behind doors when they need even more sunshine Today, she is speaking the heart of every woman and patient on an international platform. According to her, she got three lives, and this third one she is dedicating to empowering women and seeking proper health facilities for them. She is working for Lepra in the Bihar district; her roles and responsibilities took her to UN Human Rights and Anti-Leprosy Associations Advisory Board. She opened her wings and gave flight to millions of patients saying, “Treatment of leprosy should be combined into the general healthcare in order to promote inclusion.”
Open the doors
Millions of people are suffering from leprosy and lack of information is leading to chaos. we need to remember that this is curable and can be transmitted when you came in close contact with the mouth or nose of the patient. So, freezing out patients from your family or society is not the cure. The treatment lies in taking care of their mental health and not shutting doors for them. They need love, light, and MDT to feel healthy again.
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