Climate change is increasingly affecting countries where leprosy is present. This is damaging the lives of persons affected by leprosy and making it harder to end leprosy transmission.
In 2021, James Pender of TLM England & Wales published a paper looking at the climate crisis and leprosy.
James' paper considers the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on leprosy, the increased vulnerability of persons affected by leprosy due to climate change, and examples of how environmental concerns can be integrated into health programmes with salutary outcomes for both health and environment.
As James concludes, environmental concerns do not obviously interlink with the goal of defeating leprosy, but thinking more deeply shows that the link is real and cannot be ignored.
© Cover image: Ricardo Franco
Leprosy colonies in Mumbai are located along storm drains that flood annually
4,000 leprosy affected farmers in Northwest Bangladesh were impacted by unprecedented flooding in 2017
Rice harvests on farms of 'leprosy villages' in Myanmar failed in 2020 as rainfall patterns changed
We know of people in Nepal who have struggled to get to higher ground during flooding because of leprosy-related disabilities
Also in Nepal, we have heard of people arriving at shelters during flooding, only to be turned away due to leprosy stigma
Moitiur has been left jobless by climate change. He was diagnosed with leprosy in 2008. This didn't stop him from making a good living at his tea stall near Dawood Khali River. That was until erosion of the river destroyed his business overnight. He lost his income, profits, and life savings.
Since losing his tea stall, Motiur has been searching for work, a task made much harder by leprosy. In an attempt to cover his basic needs of food, medicine, and other essentials, Moitur took on labour work, but this ultimately made him more sick and weak.
Sheikh is the leader of a seven member family and a shrimp farm. He was first diagnosed with leprosy in 2021. Flooding and cyclones in Bagerhat added to Sheikh's struggles.
The damage caused by the flooding and cyclones throughout his life has had a big impact on Sheikh. He has had to rebuild his home and his farm eight times.
The climate has harmed Sheikh's shrimp farming as excess salt in the water is affecting the quality of his product. The physical challenge of removing this salt is made harder by leprosy.