CERAC Communes With Leprosy Victims

Former patients at Ayos in the Centre Region yesterday, January 26, 2014, received medical and material gifts from the First Lady's association.

"You are part of the citizens of Cameroon. Yes, dear former leprosy patients at the Dou'ou Bekolo neighbourhood in Ayos, you are part of the Cameroonian society. You have your place in the society, so feel free".

This is the message from the First Lady of Cameroon, Mrs Chantal Biya, who is also the Founding President of the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC) as her association joins the international community to commemorate the 21st World Leprosy Day under the theme, "Leprosy is still There! It is curable, Lets quickly go to a health centre for screening".

Heading CERAC's delegation to Ayos in the Nyong and Mfoumou Division in the Centre Region was Julienne Ngo Nsom, one of the presidents of the college of advisers in CERAC. The over 30 leprosy victims in the Dou'ou Bekolo neighbourhood in Ayos, were told not to fear discrimination. The message from Mrs Biya was that people should multiply solidarity gesture towards leprosy victims because the most difficult is to live with the scars of leprosy that remains forever and which forces the victims to be withdrawn from the society.

Besides the efforts to curb leprosy, the disease is still ravaging people worldwide with a recent case of a five-year-old registered at the Ayos treatment centre. This is why the CERAC delegation went to the leprosy victims not only with a message of solidarity and encouragement but also with medicines, cloths, mattresses, agricultural material, foodstuffs, toiletries and laundry products amongst others. These gifts from Mrs Chantal Biya are to enable the victims to become autonomous and better reintegrate into the society.

While urging the general population to help leprosy victims in Cameroon, the President of the National Association of Leprosy Victims, Georgette Laug Bibana used the occasion to express gratitude to CERAC and the government for their endless efforts to ameliorate the living conditions of leprosy victims. Such supports have resulted in the realisation of a banana plantation in Mbalmayo and a potatoes farm amongst others.

Just like inhabitants of the Dou'ou Bekolo neighbourhood, the Mayor of Ayos as well as the representative of the Minister of Public Health appreciated the constant support of CERAC towards leprosy victims in Ayos who were receiving CERAC ladies for the third time on such a special day.