64 years on, NGO helps treat leprosy patients

NAVI MUMBAI: For the last 64 years, a discreet little NGO has been treating and curing leprosy patients totally free of cost. Shantivan Ashram or Kushtarog Nivaran Samiti as it is also known, has been running a programmen for leprosy patients and have treated over 10,000 patients from 170 villages in Panvel.
Although Christian missionaries pioneered the efforts of taking care of leprosy patients in India, it was a group of Gandhians who started this facility. At that time the occurrance of leprosy in this area was almost 17% and with much effort, the centre now operates from a sprawling 122 acres of land.
"We still conduct door to door programmes and treat detected cases. There are nine centres now opened all across the taluka," he said.The ashram is run with aid from the government under National Leprosy Prevention Programme and also receive funds from donors.
"There are also centres that look after dependents and senior citizens, naturopathy clinics, rural development, dairy, and schools for adhivasi children," Prabhudesai added.
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