Detection and treatment
“It’s not just about creating a prosthetic leg so that you can walk again; it’s about believing that your life can go on.”
Francis Yaw Mesa and Rhoda Boatemaa speak to us about their work as prosthetists at the Ankaful Lepsosy and General Hospital.
At the Ankaful Leprosy and General Hospital in Ankaful, Ghana, Francis Yaw Mesa and Rhoda Boatemaa are prosthetists and orthotists who work tirelessly to transform the lives of people affected by leprosy in this West African country.
They are part of the national leprosy programme led by Dr Benedict Quao, a joint effort of Ghana’s public health service and the Anesvad Foundation, which has funded the renovation of the hospital’s orthopaedic centre.
Francis, 32, and Rhoda, 28, do not just make prostheses. Their work in fact begins by assessing patients, accurately measuring and taking moulds to create prostheses that closely mimic the original limbs. These prostheses, constructed from carefully selected materials, aim not only to restore function, but also to restore a sense of “normality” to those who use them.
“Patients often feel stigmatised, so they don’t go to church, they don’t go to the market, they don’t leave their homes…,” Roda Boatemaa
In a context where physiotherapy is scarce, the two have learned to carry out this role as well, teaching patients to walk and guiding them through each step of the rehabilitation process. “What we do here is more or less like rehabilitation,” Francis explains. “When you give someone a prosthetic leg, you also need to train them how to use it. There’s no physiotherapist; it’s just you and the patient.” This personalised approach is crucial, as many of the patients they see have lost their self-confidence due to leprosy.
“We tell them, ‘No, you’re a human being. You’re just like me. Forget about the disease. Come out. We are all one. We are all human.“ Francis Yaw
Besides physical recovery, the most profound challenge they face relates to the emotional and psychological impact of leprosy. The disease, laden with historical stigma, often leaves patients isolated and ashamed, afraid to participate in community life. When Francis and Rhoda begin working with a new patient, they know that their task involves more than rebuilding a lost limb; they must also rebuild the patients’ self-esteem and confidence.
Many of these patients arrive at the hospital feeling defeated, convinced that leprosy has robbed them not only of their health, but also of their dignity. In such moments, Francis and Rhoda take on the role of counsellors and friends, providing essential emotional support. They sit with the patients, explain the process in detail, reassure them and, most importantly, make them realise that they are still valuable, that their life does not end with the disease.
Their experience has taught them that listening is one of the most powerful tools they have. Francis recounts how, at first, even he faced stigma within his own family, who warned him about the dangers of working with people affected by leprosy. This irrational fear perpetuates the stigma within society, and his work includes dismantling these beliefs in his patients and in the community.
“We give them the advice and education they need. We tell them: “You can do it. You are strong. Don’t tell this stop you”“ Rhoda Boatemaa
The change they see in patients is remarkable. Upon receiving their prosthesis, many feel a mixture of relief and excitement, but sometimes fear as well. Learning to walk again, to trust a new part of their body, can be a frightening process. However, with patience, Francis and Rhoda guide them, showing them that they can be independent again.
Little by little, these men and women begin to regain the confidence they had lost, not only in their bodies, but in themselves as people. They begin to believe that they can go out again, to integrate, to live without shame.
Thanks to the work of the Ghana Health Service and the Anesvad Foundation, the stigma around leprosy is beginning to dissipate. Francis and Rhoda watch on with pride as their patients, who once hid from the world, now dare to smile and to walk with their heads held high.
The goal of the project is thus not only to heal the physical wounds left by leprosy, but also the invisible scars of stigma. In this, they are making significant progress, step by step, prosthesis by prosthesis, with each life they touch.