On ECS

Before we began our clinical duty in Eversley Childs Sanitarium we had mixed apprehensions about the place. We thought that because it’s a "leprosarium" we will necessarily be exposed to leprosy patients. Some of us were concerned that we may somehow acquire the disease once we are there.

We were very wrong. ECS is a very, very clean and safe hospital. It’s the complete opposite of the government hospitals in the city. In the city the government hospitals are overcrowded and sometimes dirty. In ECS, the place is so clean and the environment is totally stress-free. The hospital grounds are so wide and there is so much greenery. There is no noise pollution (exept for the few motorcycles and tricycles that occasionally pass by the building) and the air is more breathable. It is really an ideal hospital.

Our earlier apprehensions about ECS reflected fears and misconceptions about leprosy that still lingers in our society today even after so many years. Leprosy has been around for centuries, in fact, yet to this very day there is still that stigma about leprosy.

During our clinical duty we’ve learned that leprosy is actually highly curable and that we need not fear it. We need not discriminate against those who have leprosy because in reality they are victims of the disease. They need to be helped and be accepted by society.