INF has a goal to see leprosy eradicated in Nepal. The aim is to achieve zero infection, zero disability, and zero stigma by 2030, in tandem with the plans of the Government of Nepal and the World Health Organisation.

INF Nepal’s role covers the western part of Nepal, with hospital and community-based services across more than 10 districts, including some areas where the prevalence of leprosy diagnosis is among the highest in the country.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that affects the skin, nerves, and other parts of the body. While the number of people with leprosy in Nepal has diminished over the years, there are still about 2,500 Nepalis who are diagnosed with leprosy each year.

It is treated with medication – a combination of three antibiotics known as multi-drug therapy – which stops symptoms progressing and halts transmission.

Stigma associated with leprosy remains a significant barrier to early detection and treatment. In the western part of Nepal, many communities still hold misconceptions about leprosy, leading to social isolation and discrimination against affected individuals and their families.

Other issues also contribute to the spread of leprosy and its complications if left untreated for too long, such a lack of understanding about disease and its symptoms, as well as the limited access to health services in remote parts of western Nepal.

Serving people with leprosy

INF’s leprosy services focus on early case detection, timely treatment, complication management, and rehabilitation, while also addressing stigma and discrimination. This approach aims to reduce the number of people whose disabilities are caused by leprosy, and improve the quality of life for everybody affected by the disease.

INF’s three hospitals in Nepal all support people with leprosy. A new specialist ward opened at Green Pastures a couple of years ago, where people often marginalised because of their condition can receive the dignity and care they deserve. INF’s Shining Hospitals in Banke and Surkhet districts also bring INF’s health services closer to communities in western parts of Nepal.

In more severe cases, Green Pastures can also provide surgical interventions including amputation, and comprehensive post-operative rehabilitation so people can get back to making a valuable contribution to family and community life.

As well as hospital services, INF plans to run 44 leprosy screening camps across seven districts over the next three years, to ensure people living with leprosy in remote communities receive the treatment and support they need.

The Christian ethos of INF means that we believe health is more than just physical – it’s psychological, spiritual, and relational. That’s why our hospitals in Nepal don’t just offer surgery or medical therapies – they also include counselling, training, telehealth, self-care, and support for families who are facing poverty.

Man Maya’s roller-coaster of an experience with leprosy is far too common.

She began to experience unexplained symptoms which eventually led to a loss of sensation in her hand, but after visits to various hospitals and health posts the cause remained a mystery.

Eventually, some people in her village suggested she visit Green Pastures Hospital, where a skin smear test confirmed the diagnosis of leprosy that doctors suspected as soon as she arrived.

Green Pastures staff provided her with psychosocial counselling, reassuring both her and her daughter that leprosy is treatable. The team educated them about the disease, emphasising the importance of continuing medication, maintaining proper nutrition, and practicing good personal hygiene. The Occupational Therapy department also taught her hand care techniques to prevent further complications.

With that knowledge, she began the standard 12-month multi-drug therapy course, which stops the disease in its tracks and prevents transmission to others.

However, after just one month, she stopped taking her tablets due to a common side-effect of changes to her skin caused by the medication.

Her incomplete treatment was discovered during Green Pastures’ routine contact-tracing. INF staff and a local health worker then visited Man Maya’s home. With kindness and patience, they explained the consequences of untreated leprosy and how resuming treatment could restore her health and prevent impairment. Their words ignited a spark of hope, and with renewed courage, she returned to Green Pastures and re-started her medication.

Her story highlights the importance of on-going support for people affected by leprosy, as Green Pastures continues to follow up on Man Maya’s progress through local health workers.