by Hayati Nupus
SAMPANG, Indonesia, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Under the scorching sun in Sampang regency on Madura Island in East Java province, 28-year-old Ali Manan sat nervously among villagers.
He took deep breath before finally speaking in front of Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin and Yohei Sasakawa of the Sasakawa Health Foundation, who visited his village recently.
"I was still in elementary school back then. I withdrew from my friends out of shame, and as the wounds spread, it became harder for me to walk," Ali said in a soft voice.
Speaking to Xinhua, he went on to describe how, at the age of 11, white patches began to appear on his skin, followed by numbness in his hands and feet.
His family believed it was a curse and took him to various shamans.
For years, he underwent treatments involving bitter herbal concoctions and incantations meant to "ward off evil spirits," but his condition only worsened. Ali eventually had to drop out of school.
A similar fate befell Marhali Muad, 30, another resident of Sampang regency who was also present at the gathering. For two years, he was forced to stop working as red bumps spread across his body, making it difficult to walk. Like Ali, alternative treatments were his first choice.
"I thought of it as a deformity and feared people would avoid me if I went to the health clinic. So I chose to see shamans instead," Muad said.
Both men only saw a glimmer of hope when their families finally took them to the local health center. Health workers immediately recognized the symptoms of leprosy and provided them with free multi-drug therapy.
After 12 months of treatment, Muad was declared cured, while Ali needed only six months.
Indonesia still ranks the third in the world for leprosy cases, after India and Brazil. Last year, about 14,000 new cases were detected, many of them diagnosed too late, resulting in permanent disabilities.
"Leprosy is no longer just a medical issue, it's also a social one," Minister Budi stressed.
According to him, the biggest challenges are stigma and delayed treatment, as many patients choose to hide their condition until it worsens.
"We must identify as many new cases as possible and provide treatment before leprosy causes disabilities," he said.
At the 22nd International Leprosy Congress held from Monday to Wednesday in Bali, five heads from regions with the highest leprosy cases, including Sampang, pledged to accelerate leprosy elimination, serving as models for other regions.
For Indonesia, the goal is for 111 out of 514 regions to be leprosy-free by 2030.
Yohei Sasakawa likened the fight against leprosy to a motorcycle, where the front wheel represents medical efforts to cure the disease, while the rear wheel symbolizes the fight against stigma and discrimination.
"Stigma and discrimination are more dangerous than the bacteria themselves," said Yohei, who also serves as WHO goodwill ambassador for leprosy elimination.
According to him, although medicine has long been available, many patients avoid health facilities out of fear of being shunned by their family and community.
He emphasized the importance of public campaigns to raise awareness that leprosy is not easily transmitted and can be cured.
Now, with the zero-transmission target being pushed in various regions, field workers were actively conducting early detection and breaking the chain of transmission by providing preventive medication (prophylaxis) to patients' families.
But challenges remain: Indonesia's vast geography with over 17,000 islands, a shortage of healthcare workers, and limited public understanding of the disease.
For Ali and Muad, their hopes are simple: no more children missing out on education or adults forced to quit their jobs because of leprosy.
"If only I had been taken to the health center earlier, my life might have been so much better," Ali said.
He was now active as a volunteer in a leprosy survivors' community, supporting new patients so they do not lose hope.
The dream of a leprosy-free Indonesia was no longer impossible. With government commitment, international support, and the courage of survivors to share their stories, steps toward eliminating leprosy were becoming more tangible.
Every recovered patient carries the message that leprosy can be overcome with timely treatment and community support. ■
