Kerala - Thrissur   

Leprosy patients need love: Azhikode

By Our Staff Reporter

THRISSUR, FEB. 5. A group of leprosy patients from Muthalamada panchayat in Palakkad district today had a get-together at the residence of the social critic, Sukumar Azhikode, at Viyyur near here.

The patients who included tiny children, women and the elderly were brought here by the Muthalamada Sneham Charitable Trust (MSCT) which is supporting 35-odd families who have members suffering from leprosy in the panchayat.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Azhikode said just like there are scales to indicate the underground water levels, there are also yardsticks to indicate the levels of love in a society. But unfortunately the `love-table' in our society is depleting much faster than the water table at Plachimada. Everybody other than the Government has changed in our society. The Government is concerned only about the Budget. In the Budget they allocate Rs 10 crores for leprosy patients, but only Rs. 10 reaches them and the `crore' gets usurped. This happens because there is no love in society, he said.

Leprosy is only a minor disease, and it can be cured through medicines, Dr. Azhikode said. But society should not stigmatise them. Even though at the surface, all claim to be Indians, a deeper search will expose that society is divided into Hindus, Christians and Muslims. The real Indians are the suffering people, Dr. Azhikode said.

The chairman of the MSCT, P. Sunildasm, later told reporters that the Trust formed three years back is supporting all the 35 leprosy patients at Muthalamada which is the second largest panchayat in the State. The patients are being maintained in their own respective homes and not in any exclusive rehabilitation centre so that the patients will not feel segregated from mainstream society. The Trust reaches food, clothing, medical help and assistance for meeting all the other requirements of the patients. It also makes arrangements for common get-togethers and occasional outings for the leprosy patients.

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