By Saumu Mwalimu
Msamaria Village of Leprosy is located in Hombolo Village, Dodoma, and it is home to 88 Tanzanians who have survived the alienating disease and come out on the other end in one piece.

They have learnt to flourish in a village where there is no discrimination – where there is no stigma attached to their disease. Years ago, when they discovered they had leprosy, many of them were hidden behind closed doors, where many hoped they would die because they were thought to be cursed. 

But in 1963, a Mission hospital was opened in Nunge and straight away it began to care for patients with what was then thought to be a deadly disease.  Finally, sufferers had hope. Due to the decrease in the incidence and spread of the illness, the hospital now provides general health care to the community. But it is as determined as ever to eradicate leprosy once and for all.  

Women who live with leprosy
Everyone who lives in Msamaria Village is a leprosy survivor - thankfully the village is in close proximity to Nunge Hospital, and as such they all have access to quality care. We spoke to three women who are living with leprosy.

Belitha Samson
After years of ill treatment from her family members, Belitha decided to seek accommodation at Msamaria. When she first moved in, she was convinced that she would not live long – the leprosy was that severe. “I came here because I knew people were getting help from the hospital and the mission centre, so at least I had hope of not being stigmatized,” she says. Her legs have been badly damaged and she can no longer walk unassisted and her husband has leprosy too. They met at the village and have three children who are in school.

“We have to struggle to take our children to school but we thank our God because our daughter, who is in secondary school got a scholarship. We continue to struggle for the two who are still in primary school. I tend our little farm on my knees because I cannot walk.  It hurts but I have to do it because I have a family to feed.

 My husband is severely affected by the disease so it is my duty to step in and help if we are to live this life God has given us.” Belitha would be able to walk if she had special shoes designed to enable leprosy survivors to move their legs. She had a pair but they are so worn out, they are ineffective. “I want to work and earn a living because I don’t want to be reduced to a beggar. It wasn’t easy to pick up a hoe and dig, but practice has made it easier. I’m still in pain though.”


Evelyne Makumbi
Evelyne Makumbi is 55-years-old and she lives alone with her two grand children. Her daughter abandoned them for the big city. Her story is similar to other residents in Msamaria, except that she has the privilege to live in one of the few burnt brick houses that were built by the mission. Despite her nice house, she says she is not hopeful about life any more. “I started treatment for leprosy in 1968. Today, what remains are the scars, but I still experience pain. My right leg was amputated because it was so badly affected.

I now have a prosthetic leg but it’s not easy to work with it,” she says. At Msamaria, tenants have the opportunity to grow crops but many of them can’t do that because of their disabilities. Many times, finding food to eat is a challenge. Evelyne grows traditional vegetables for subsistence and on occasion for sale. “That’s how I get money for kerosene.”

Beatrice Chihedu
Leprosy took away her eyesight and now, she is living alone. Because of her blindness, life is hard for Beatrice, a 67-year-old survivor.  “Sometimes when others are crying for kerosene, I ask for maize flour because even if I get kerosene I will never see the light,” Beatrice says.

She lost all her fingers and toes and needs help from her neighbours – for years, her neighbour Evelyne Makumbi, has been her support. “I’m also grateful to the Missionary Sisters of Charity who have assisted me over the years with food and clothing.”

The war on leprosy in Tanzania
World Leprosy is marked on last Sunday in January every year. This year it falls on Sunday, 29 January. Last year, the Minister for Health and Social Welfare Dr Khaji Mponda said that incidences of the disease have reduced significantly, but there is still a way to go to eradicate it completely. Statistics show that the number of people with leprosy in Tanzania went down from 35,000 patients in 1983 to 2600 in 2009. However, in the same year, the number of new cases increased by 11 per cent. The minister said that now that people are aware that leprosy is not a curse but a disease that can be treated, they should understand the symptoms and rush to hospital for treatment.

According to retired physician Dr Eliud Kiwaya, who worked at Nunge Leprosy hospital for many years, the fight against leprosy is not over, even though the number of new cases is steadily going down. It only takes one person per year to infect 25 other people with leprosy.

To fight the disease the government launched the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme (NTLP) in July 1977, becoming the first country in the world to successfully combine the control of TB and leprosy into a single programme. The programme is charged with the responsibility of facilitating early diagnosis, treatment and cure of as many tuberculosis and leprosy patients as possible, so as to reduce the incidence and prevalence of the diseases until they are no longer a major public health problem in the country. The programme is also aimed at reducing physical disability and psychosocial suffering caused by the two diseases.

The Tanzania Leprosy Association is also on the frontline of the battle against leprosy. “What we have done is bring people with leprosy together and train them on how they can live with the disease.

They must learn how to be independent. We give them capacity building training and help them raise funds for food, medicine and education for their children,” says secretary general Jameelat Harieth Lyimo.  “Comparatively speaking, stigma against people with leprosy is low. The war against the disease is being won; one victory at a time.”

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