TLMI’s involvement in Papua New Guinea began in the mid 1960’s by helping with the staffing of the leprosy hospital at Tari in Southern Highlands Province. In 1980, TLMI office moved to Madang and with the addition of Betty Cunnington and June Nash, the emphasis changed from hospital-based to training of health staff in leprosy, assisting in a leprosy ward in the hospital and setting up field control programmes.

TLM works alongside the Ministry of Health and other agencies in PNG. Our focus has moved from leprosy control to 'Care after Cure' as the control of disability project started in 2000. Education and training of health workers is helping to identify and manage the disabilities that Leprosy can cause.
Kundiawa Village, Simbu
TLM staff are working in different areas through PNG assisting leprosy affected communities and educating them about the care and cure of leprosy. The important work of rehabilitation is so needed in remote communities where leprosy sufferers have given up hope and have no motivation to assist themselves.

Kundiawa Village in Simbu is about 2 hours drive from Goroka in the Highlands. TLM have been working with a group of leprosy disabled people who are in the only leprosy ‘colony’ in PNG. These people have been rejected by their communities and are unable to return. It is commonly known as “the malaria camp’ and is about 1 km outside the town.
Having lived on welfare since arriving in the area, it has been hard for this group to grasp the concept of helping themselves. After a lot of preparation and training with the group the staff felt they were ready, and they have recently helped the group to start a chicken project. They have built a chicken house and have now raised several batches of chicks and are able to sell them in the town.

The people in this community have said how much this project has impacted them – they no longer feel that they are ‘nothing’, but are able to do something for themselves, and they are proud of what they are doing.
 

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