It is a general feeling of helplessness that hangs in the air at the Government Hospital for Dermatology (Government Leprosy Hospital earlier) in Kozhikode. The century-old buildings are in a dilapidated condition.
Despite the presence of eight wells in the compound, the inmates get water only for two hours a day. With the government including the hospital in the APL list, procuring foodgrain too has become difficult. Then there are around 120 patients who have been cured of their disease but continue to stay at the hospital because they have no place to go.
In a city where the constructive efforts of the district administration and a few kind-hearted individuals that have converted the Government Mental Health Centre into a pleasant place, the Government Hospital for Dermatology, with almost the same kind of problems, is waiting for the administration’s mercy.
The action committee formed a few years ago has done some minor maintenance work on the buildings from funds collected from the public. Other than the construction of a new building there have been no other infrastructural changes at the hospital for decades, except for the small repair works carried out by some voluntary organisations. “We just cleaned the premises, repaired the cots and painted the whole building. Changing the colour of some of the buildings was necessary to take away the sense of despair hanging in the air,” K.V. Niyas, president of Helping Hands Charitable Trust said.
Out of the eight wells in the compound, only two are being used. The pipelines often leak out and hence the valves are mostly closed. The Trust has taken up the task of repairing the pipelines. Another major problem that the hospital faces is encroachment on its property. There are around 26 acres of land, but no construction to mark the boundary. Some part of the land has been given to the Kerala Sports Council besides several other acquisitions for various government departments. People from outside have encroached on many parts of the land and have started cultivation.
The social stigma surrounding leprosy that prevents the cured patients from going home is just another ailment that needs to be cured.
