The
Sivananda Rehabilitation Home (SRH) was founded
in 1958 in Hyderabad, India to provide a home for destitute
leprosy patients. Leprosy, is a chronic infectious
disease which has been stigmatized in India.
The
mission of the home has been to prevent disability and
provide adequate medical care to individuals afflicted
with leprosy. Second, to provide community education as
the primary means by which to reduce the occurrence of
new cases.
Patients
have come from all over Andhra Pradesh and neighboring
states to be treated at the 200 bed hospital which has
facilities for Reconstructive surgery, Physiotherapy,
X-Ray, Clinical Laboratories, Orthopaedic and Cobblery
Workshops.
Patients are trained in tailoring, weaving and candle
making and produce clothing, and uniforms for the hospital
and for sale to the public. The technical rehabilitation
workshop offers training in arc and gas welding, machining,
spray painting, carpentry, plumbing and electrical work.
Some patients are able to receive small loans from a revolving
fund for their nurses training/education.
Starting
as a rehabilitation home for destitute leprosy patients,
the SRH has evolved into one of the finest Service,
Training & Research Institutions. Many of
the hand reconstructive surgical techniques pioneered
at SRH have been presented at various National and International
Conferences. The Plastic Surgery Department of Gandhi
Medical College Hospital, and Plastic Surgeons from SURGICORPS
International, USA have visited SRH to observe the new
surgical techniques adopted for hand surgery to train
their Post Graduate students.
As
a result of efforts spearheaded by SRH, the prevalence
of leprosy in the project area has declined dramatically
from 90.2 per 10,000 in 1978 to less than one per 10,000
in 2003. For
decades, the SRH had relied on governmental support for
its many Leprosy programs. Recent years has seen a significant
decline in the level of governmental funding for Leprosy.
Unfortunately, many individuals with Leprosy still go
untreated. Donations are urgently needed to maintain the
important service these programs provide.
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