Theme References
Table 4a: 1. The experiences of people living with and affected by leprosy in Nigeria 2. Roles Organisations play in leprosy control 3. Challenges faced in leprosy settlements in Nigeria Theme References 1. The experiences of people living with and affected by leprosy in Nigeria Available funding provisions “We get grants from the government.” Condition of inmates at the leper settlements and the state of the settlements “Been in the camp for a few years, and there’s no indication of time to leave the camp. The lifestyle in camp is not encouraging.” Forms of support received “We receive support, and the support comes from philanthropists, organizations (like NNPC), and well-meaning individuals. The support is always in kind (mostly food items).” Needs not provided in the settlement “Food, cloth, renovate the house, repair the water system, and better care for the children.” Needs provided in the settlement “The shelter is provided but not in good condition.” Renovating and equipping leprosy settlements “Renovation only happens when the director of the settlement goes to the authorities.” Stigmatization “We can’t even go out for any business, because people are afraid to buy from us.” 2. Roles Organisations play in leprosy control Welfare of PLWL “I work with the Methodist church, we try to improve their welfarism and help them resettle after being treated” Research, Media Advocacy, and Service Delivery “We also do public awareness and sensitization via traditional and modern media. Another thing we’ve done is to bring up advocacy to the level in which the rights of persons affected with leprosy are protected in line with the goals of WHO of which Nigeria is a signatory. We also conduct research to gather facts and get clarity on Leprosy control” Programme Implementation “Currently, we’re in about 11 states (the Leprosy mission only). The head of programmes will answer this question best. As the head of business, my job is to go into the communities, see what the people need and present their needs to funders, get funding and work with the people to implement. Contribution of the World Health Organisation “WHO also supports patients with chemotherapy. A leprosy patient undergoing chemotherapy can come down with complications and visible deformities so we provide corticosteroids to help them manage these complications. We also provide appropriate.” Contribution of Non-governmental organisations “We provide footwear for infected persons, we also provide rehabilitative surgeries and make sure they learn how to walk. We also provide care after cure for patients.” 3. Challenges faced in leprosy settlements in Nigeria Abysmal financing “The major factor and cause of our lapses here is funding.” Inadequate Water Supply There’s a problem with water, there’s a borehole before but it has spoilt. Another answered, ” there’s not enough resources but they are content with whatever God provides for them”. Irregular Support “The community receives little to no support from the government. The little support we get is from individuals that come visiting and that have not been coming forth in recent times.” No support from the Government “There’s no support from the government so there’s no provision”