Impact of Leishmaniasis in Women

What is it about?

Abstract Stigma is synonymous with leishmaniasis, an endemic deadly flesh-eating disease in Yemen that affects predominantly poor rural women and children. Women with leishmaniasis often present late and experience not only physical deformities and the risk of death, but also the painful stigma of the disease and its consequences, a similar situation to that of leprosy decades ago. The International Society of Dermatology–sponsored community dermatology project Eradication of Leishmaniasis from Yemen Project has made a difference in the leishmaniasis situation in Yemen and addressed its magnitude. The program eradicated leishmaniasis from some areas, dealt with and improved its alarming prevalence among children and women who are the neglected and highest risk groups, and solved some issues associated with poor access to proper drugs. Medicine donation has enabled women with leishmaniasis to freely receive medicine they otherwise would not have been able to afford, reduced their mortality and morbidity, and minimized the extensive impact the socio-aesthetic stigma has on their lives. Our cause has attracted local and global attention to these problematic issues.

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Why is it important?

Recommendations ELYP faces an imperative need to offer alternative medications, such as meglumine antimonite (Glucantime), Amphotericin B, miltefosine, and paromomycin to those who cannot tolerate sodium stibogucanate antimonials. Cost and availability should not be obstacles preventing poor rural women from accessing anti-leishmanial medicines. The next phase of partnership with project ELYP should include, in addition to further medicine donation, the possibility of medical staff training, molecular diagnosistics, clinical research sponsorships, disfigured women’s rehabilitation program, and improvement of access to our services for populations living in remote areas. ELYP’s surveillance, educational, and management remote field campaigns are in need of vehicles and camping capabilities. Public investment in our research, educational, treatment, and control programs would decrease the leishmaniasis local and global burden. Yemen is often left out of maps of the worldwide distribution of leishmaniasis. These maps should be redrawn regularly considering the alarming magnitude of leishmaniasis in Yemen, one of its endemic countries.

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