Leprosy : CERAC Brings Hope To Victims

“I am loved, I have hope, but I need your help”. This is the theme of the 72nd World Leprosy Day commemorated yesterday, Sunday, January 26, 2025. In Yaounde, the charitable association of the First Lady, the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC), fervently responded to the theme of the day by not only showing love to patients and persons affected by leprosy, but by also helping them through the donation of diverse gifts which will restore hope and improve their livelihood. Heading the delegation of CERAC members with gifts of love and hope was one of the Vice Presidents of CERAC, Ayang Micheline.
At the former Leper Home of the Jamot Hospital in Yaounde, over 100 patients and victims of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) had gathered to receive the delegation from the First Lady who is the Founding President of CERAC. Ayang Micheline and her delegation did not just come with foodstuffs, pharmaceutical products, medications, cleaning products and a special gift of two cows from the First Lady, but also had a message of solidarity and concern for those affected by leprosy. She noted that for nearly 30 years, CERAC has been paying special attention to people affected by leprosy and that it was not time to relent efforts in doing so. Hence, the commemoration was an opportunity for CERAC to raise awareness about the conditions of people affected by the disease, the need to detect the disease in time, to treat the sick, and to improve care and rehabilitation. According to Ayang Micheline, the event was an opportunity to remobilise hearts, because the infectious disease affects the most vulnerable. “By offering various supports, CERAC would like to bring to victims comfort and encourage others to act similarly”, the head of delegation underlined.
The Technical Adviser in charge of NTDs at the Regional Bureau of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr. Etienne Nnomzo’o said leprosy is a neglected tropical disease still present in more than 120 countries, with at least 200,000 new cases reported each year. The decline in the number of new cases has been gradual, both globally and in countries of the WHO African Region. WHO, Dr Nnomzo’o said, continues to provide technical support to member States in the prevention and control of leprosy.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Public Health, the Inspector of Services at the Ministry of Public Health, Mohamadou Bakary, said it was important to disseminate true and accurate information about leprosy to the pop...