Who are we?

The African Organisation of People of Leprosy was created in 2008. It is based in Mali. Although the treatment of leprosy is now simple and effective, one of the biggest problems standing in the way of total eradication are the myths surrounding the disease, dating back from Biblical times. The infected were traditionally isolated because of fears that it was highly contagious. The disease and its treatment were not understood. AOPL calls for the proactive, early detection and treatment of leprosy, to prevent leprosy being transmitted to children and to reduce disability in children to zero within the shortest period of time. Every two minutes someone is diagnosed with leprosy and almost nine out of every one hundred people diagnosed is a child.