Dr Martha Gafafer treats Norbert at CHRS Hospital in Guinea (credit: Joel Conte)

On World Leprosy Day (25 Jan), Guinea’s most isolated communities are battling a ‘Biblical’ disease, which still persists today – leprosy. MAF’s Joel Conte investigates how MAF offers hope by enabling life-changing treatment…

Leprosy affects the skin, nerves, nose, throat and eyes. Left untreated, it can cause permanent damage, disability and deformity. The disease spreads via droplets from the nose or mouth from an untreated person. If caught early however, it can be cured with multidrug therapy including antibiotics.

Leprosy can be successfully treated by a combination of drugs (credit: Joel Conte)

MAF partner – The Regional Specialised Hospital Centre (CHRS) in Macenta, southern Guinea – specialises in the treatment of chronic infectious diseases including leprosy. Its international reputation attracts patients from neighbouring Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Ivory Coast.

Discrimination is more devastating than the disease

Often, stigma surrounding the disease can be more devastating than the disease itself.

Contrary to popular belief, leprosy cannot be spread by shaking hands, hugging, eating together or sitting next to someone who has leprosy. Transmission is only possible through prolonged close contact with an infected, untreated person, such as sharing a bed.

Consequently, miseducation and fear about leprosy, leads to many sufferers hiding their symptoms, which prevents early intervention. Delays to treatment lead to higher transmission rates and a higher risk of permanent damage.

Norbert has been ostracised by family & friends because of leprosy (credit: Joel Conte)

23-year-old Norbert knows all about discrimination. He is currently being treated at CHRS. For the past eight years, Norbert has been in and out of hospital because of leprosy. His family has disowned him and his dreams of an education have been dashed:

‘This disease made me drop out of school. The conditions in which I came here were painful. This disease has cut me off from the outside world and changed everything. I am here alone. Neither family nor friends visit me – only the doctors who provide my care.

‘Emotionally, it’s not easy at all to live with it, but the treatment is going well. Thanks to God, I can walk today, something I couldn’t do before.’

Norbert – a leprosy patient at CHRS, which benefits from MAF

Yomba is 1 of 5 widows living with leprosy in social housing (credit: Joel Conte)

After more than 20 years of suffering from leprosy, widow and mother-of-five Yomba, has completed her treatment at CHRS. As part of her rehabilitation and reintegration, she now lives in social housing provided by the state.

Physically Yomba feels much better, although she still experiences a loss of sensation. But it was the social isolation, which nearly broke her:

‘This disease really ruined my life on all levels. Relatives, friends – everyone was distancing themselves from me because of my condition. Suffering from leprosy – I had no hope.

‘Life was very difficult in the village as we didn’t have any care, nor the means to pay for it. But I thank God for the local doctors and missionaries who are there every day at my side for medical and emotional follow-up.’

Nine hours by road or under two hours by air?

Dr Martha Gafafer has worked with CHRS for over 30 years (credit: Joel Conte)

It’s medical and pastoral people like Dr Martha Gafafer from Mission Philafricaine – the founders of CHRS – who make Yomba’s life, and others like her, more comfortable.

Martha has worked with CHRS for over 30 years. Now semi-retired, she still travels from Guinea’s capital, Conakry, to Macenta to train staff or visit people who are trying to reintegrate back into society following leprosy treatment.

With MAF, the flight takes under 2 hours (credit: Joel Conte)

However, without MAF, travelling on bad roads for nine hours would be incredibly difficult, explains Martha:

‘MAF is really a blessing for us when traveling from the capital to Macenta. With the state of the roads, it’s really exhausting to make this long journey, plus there’s the likelihood of insecurity.

‘With MAF, we can arrive comfortably in less than two hours and begin planning our activities immediately. We need MAF and pray that they continue to serve here in Guinea.’

Dr Martha Gafafer from Mission Philafricaine & MAF passenger

By road from Conakry, it can take 9 hours to reach CHRS (credit: Joel Conte)

Another of Martha’s patients, Facely, has had much more support from his community. The cobbler from Faranah in central Guinea takes up the story:

‘I saw spots on my feet, but didn’t take it into consideration at all. After several examinations, the doctors told me that I had leprosy. I was devastated and very worried, and wondered if I would recover.

‘Financially, I had nothing. I tried a traditional healer option, but that didn’t work. The doctors said I could be treated and cared for at CHRS. I didn’t even have the transport to come, but it was my friends and neighbours who contributed money so that I could come to CHRS.’

Facely has had more support from his community (credit: Joel Conte)

Unfortunately, seeking help from a traditional healer rather than immediate help from a medical professional is a common mistake, which wastes precious time, says Martha:

‘After consulting several traditional healers in the village, without knowing what disease they are suffering from, patients can’t find a solution.

‘As leprosy begins to destroy their peripheral nerves, it can be very difficult for them. And if the nerves are destroyed, that person cannot sense pain or injury.’

Mobile medical clinics in remote Guinea

Not only does MAF fly medics and patients out to hospitals like CHRS to treat leprosy, MAF has also been delivering healthcare to some of the most isolated communities in Guinea.

Last year, MAF flew a medical team from Mission Partners for Christ to reach the Kuranko people in Fouroubouria in southern Guinea near the Sierra Leonean border.

They met Mansare who had been suffering from leprosy on her hands and feet for 16 months, but hadn’t been able to access the right treatment she so desperately needed:

‘I went to several hospitals and villages to find a solution but nothing. Since I couldn’t find any real medicine for my recovery, I became discouraged.

‘For several months I haven’t had any treatment or care, but on this day, I thank God for the arrival of this team who have relieved me. They took time to give me medicine.’

MAF flies Sheri Postma (right) & the Mission Partners for Christ team (credit: Joel Conte)

Without MAF’s flight, which only takes one hour and 20 minutes from the capital Conakry, it would have taken the team two days to reach their destination, which simply isn’t practical, says Nurse Sheri Postma – founder of Mission Partners for Christ:

‘We’d not be here in the Faranah region if it wasn’t for MAF being able to fly us here. Without them, it would be a very long, hard and tiring ride for us to get to some of these communities. It just wouldn’t be possible.

‘It would be too difficult on the team as they would have already travelled long distances from the United States to come and serve, and we serve long days.’

Nurse Sheri Postma, Founder of Mission Partners for Christ & MAF passenger

Mission Partners for Christ saw 1,300+ patients enabled by MAF (credit: Joel Conte)