Catholic Health Association of India and Hansen’s disease‎

People struck by Hansen’s disease, or leprosy, were the subject of an international conference in Rome last week.  Jointly organized by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Healthcare Workers and a number of charitable foundations and organizations, the June 9-10th conference brought together leading experts in treating and caring for those with Hansen’s disease from across the world to discuss the theme, “Towards Holistic Care for People with Hansen’s Disease, Respectful of their Dignity.” 

Although curable, around 200,000 new cases of Hansen’s disease are diagnosed each year worldwide and this has a devastating impact on their social and economic future, forcing patients, sometimes with their entire family, to live on the margins of society.  The disfiguring yet curable disease is still very prevalent in many poor areas of the world, especially in India, Brazil and Indonesia.   

Among those participating in the conference was Indian priest Fr. Arputham Arulsamy, assistant director of the Catholic Health Association of India or CHAI. In an interview to Vatican Radio, Fr. Arulsamy spoke about the situation of Hansen’s disease in India.  He began talking about his experience at the Vatican conference. 

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