Lewoleba Leprosy Hospital, Wolo Klaus Settlement and Bukit District General Hospital
Address: RSK Beato Damien, Lewoleba, Lembata
Present situation of institutions relate to leprosy rehabilitation (2003)
There are 3 institutions that relate to leprosy rehabilitation in Lewoleba, where all of them are belong to Keuskupan Larantuka Flores (Catholic church) ie Lewoleba leprosy hospital, Wono Klaus settlement and Bukit general hospital.
(1) Lewoleba leprosy hospital (Pusat Rehabilitasi Leprosy Beato Damian)
The hospital was erected in 1959 caters for leprosy patients. It is located about 0.5 km from Lewoleba the capital of the district. Sr Henrina C.I.J heads the hospital, where the temporary director is Dr Johanes Swarnajaya Sinaga. A 50-bed hospital has one doctor, 2 physiotherapists, one midwife, 4 nurses, 6 other staffs. At present the hospital not only caters for leprosy patients but also for general diseases. From 1959 to 1996 the trend number of leprosy patients in Out Patients Department (OPD) and In-patient Department (IPD) were increased year by year. According to Sr Henrina, total number of patients visited the hospital were more than 1000. Bed occupancy rate was 100%, sometime more than that. Many patients were with severe disabilities with social problems, rejected by the community because of leprophobia. The hospital could not solve the problems as they have limited facilities for them. In 1990, KLAUS FAMILY (Austrian) gave a hand donated some money, worked with the hospital to built a settlement for ex-leprosy patients with social problems. The settlement then was named Wolo Klaus.
The hospital works together with general hospital (Bukit) especially in physical rehabilitation. Operations were performed at Bukit hospital by a flying surgeon from SitanalaLeprosy Hospital. Beato Damian hospital can produce protective footwear and prosthesis. Since 1996 up to date the trend of leprosy patients attending the hospital was decreased year by year significantly, where during the last 3 years only one patient admitted to the hospital for leprosy reaction. At present patients staying in the hospital majority are old patients with social indication
(2) Wolo Klaus Settlement
The settlement is situated about 0.5 km from Pusat Rehabilitasi Lepra Beato Damian at 4 hectares of land. This settlement was built with the donation from Klaus Family (Austrian). At present there are a total of 30 ex-leprosy patients within 16 couples living here. The 16 couples consist of 3 couples (husbands and wives are ex-leprosy patients) and 13 couples (husbands are ex-leprosy and wives are normal). None of them are on MDT treatment anymore. There is no record describing the type of leprosy. The healthy inhabitants (never affected by leprosy) living in the settlement are recorded to be 156 persons within 62 healthy couples. Total inhabitants were 186. Therefore the proportion of ex-leprosy patient is 16%. The healthy couples are those married between their healthy children or with healthy people from out side the settlement or the healthy couples come from out side integrate to the settlement. There is no donation provide either by the government or Beato Damian hospital. All of them are in self-reliance status. They can get free of charge for health services at the Beato Damian hospital.
(3) District General Hospital (Private General Hospital“Bukit hospital”)
A- 50 bed general hospital is situated about 1 km from Klaus Settlement. Romo Frans Amanue,Pr heads the hospital and it stands open for ex-leprosy patients from anywhere only for general diseases. This hospital collaborates with Beato Damian Leprosy hospital in physical rehabilitation for leprosy patients.
