Leprosaria19 (leprosy colony)
As described above, leprosy control has been introduced during the era of Dutch occupation in Indonesia. There was no specific drug for treatment available at that time. The endeavours were started with taking the people with leprosy out of their villages and putting them into temporary settlements for isolation and general treatment. The purpose of isolation was to stop the transmission of the disease and to aid the leprosy affected people social economically. As many people affected by leprosy were found throughout the country, the authorities then established many permanent settlements and leprosaria.
After the independence of Indonesia, the government started a leprosy control program with mono DDS treatment. The management of people affected by leprosy was improved by upgrading the settlements, establishing special clinics and erecting some leprosy hospitals. But after years of hospitalisation the government faced difficulties to send people back to their homes. Also the high stigma and leprophobia amongst communities prevented reintegration. The hospitals became overcrowded due to these social problems.
With the further discoveries in leprosy treatment, people could then be cured with MDT consisting of Rifampicine, Lamprene and DDS. The new policy was now that people with leprosy should not be isolated anymore. People without medical indication should be discharged from the hospitals. But in reality, the majority of people did not want to go back.To overcome the over-crowdedness of the hospitals the government needed to start resettlement programs. Thelocations of the new settlements could either be in the surroundings of the hospitals or far away from the hospitals.
The government was aware of the complexity of the leprosy problem, not only in the medical field (control and rehabilitation), but also socio-economically. The Ministry of Health alone could not solve all problems. Therefore in 1979 the government established the National Inter-sector Leprosy Control Committee to handle leprosy problems comprehensively.
back to leprosy control
back to leprosy control
