One will ordinarily think that been cured of a
disease and rehabilitated into the society was supposed to bring a feeling of
happiness to the individual, but in the case of leprosy the reality is far from
this. In Eku Community individuals who suffered from leprosy after
rehabilitation encounter several challenges which affect their psychological
and social well-being. This is based on the fact that most of them have either
been blinded, crippled and/or mutilated their fingers and other body parts by
the disease. As a result of these conditions, majority of the individuals who suffered
from leprosy after their cure cannot work to earn a living, but rather they
live depending on the society.
disease and rehabilitated into the society was supposed to bring a feeling of
happiness to the individual, but in the case of leprosy the reality is far from
this. In Eku Community individuals who suffered from leprosy after
rehabilitation encounter several challenges which affect their psychological
and social well-being. This is based on the fact that most of them have either
been blinded, crippled and/or mutilated their fingers and other body parts by
the disease. As a result of these conditions, majority of the individuals who suffered
from leprosy after their cure cannot work to earn a living, but rather they
live depending on the society.
To make matters worse, the society to which they
are rehabilitated into are not well equipped to accommodate them. Although they
have been fully cured and disease free, the society find it difficult to accept
them, rather they are stigmatised and regarded as outcasts who are not supposed
to live in the society. Coupled by their physical limitations as a result of
the deformation suffered by the disease and lack of support by the society
which they depend on for survival, there is a general feeling of grief,
frustration and hopeless leading some of the persons concern to commit suicide
shortly after their rehabilitation into the society.
are rehabilitated into are not well equipped to accommodate them. Although they
have been fully cured and disease free, the society find it difficult to accept
them, rather they are stigmatised and regarded as outcasts who are not supposed
to live in the society. Coupled by their physical limitations as a result of
the deformation suffered by the disease and lack of support by the society
which they depend on for survival, there is a general feeling of grief,
frustration and hopeless leading some of the persons concern to commit suicide
shortly after their rehabilitation into the society.
By the above-mentioned problems, the researcher had
decided to embark on this research to assess persons already rehabilitated to
the society from leprosy from stigmitization with a view to proffering
solutions for them.
decided to embark on this research to assess persons already rehabilitated to
the society from leprosy from stigmitization with a view to proffering
solutions for them.