Árdís - 01.01.1963, Blaðsíða 15

Ársrit Bandalags lúterskra kvenna
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Africa to insist on compulsory segregation of all cases of active
leprosy. Although leprosy is only slightly contagious under nor-
mal conditions it can, on occasion, assume epidemic proportions
because of poverty, malnutrition and the social habits and low
standards of hygiene of the Bantu population.
Even with the deprivation of the liberty of the leprosy patients,
their interests are not neglected and everything is done to help
and care for them. The patient receives the most modern treat-
ment under a team of expert leprologists. All his physical wants
in the line of food, clothing and housing are provided free. Work
is found for the patient so he is able to aid and maintain his
family and relatives. In Westfort, Pretoria, an amount of R 16,000
($24,000) is paid per year as wages to patients. All types of
recreation are provided, swimming, tennis, football and so on,
with a month’s holiday at the seashore, being provided by the
Holiday Fund, recently started. There are school teachers at all
the Institutions to help the children continue their studies.
The policy of compulsory segregation has been properly
applied since 1925 and the results are most interesting. In 1916
there were one hundred and ninety-eight European patients on
Robben Island and Pretoria. Today Robben Island has closed
down and all the European cases in South Africa are in Westfort,
Pretoria and number thirty-four. In 1913 there were three hun-
dred and forty-five Cape Coloureds in Institutions and today only
fifty. There are still about one thousand Native leprosy patients
in the Transvaal.
With education and the spread of medical services, patients
are now coming forward of their own accord and are admitted as
soon as the disease has been diagnosed, whereas formerly a Bantu
with leprosy has tended to avoid the authorities. When the disease
is diagnosed early there is complete recovery, but when it has been
of long duration there are often deformities that are permanent.
Today, using the new type of drugs, the sulphones, all types
of cases are being cured and this, combined with the policy of
segregation and the gradually improving standards of living among
the Bantu people, will eventually make leprosy no longer a problem
in South Africa.
The small Canadian Women’s Club here in Pretoria first be-