History of ALP
Aid To Leprosy Patients (ALP) is a charitable society, approved by the Federal Board of Revenue of Pakistan and Pakistan Centre of Philanthropy, working since 1963 for the cure and control of leprosy. Its base and referral hospital is the Rawalpindi Leprosy Hospital, Rawalpindi. It provides free treatment and rehabilitation of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) including leprosy, awareness programmes and training of medical staff.
ALP first worked with the Karachi Municipal Corporation in Manghopir and helped to transform their leprosy asylum into a fully upgraded hospital.
In 1966 ALP began work with the Government Leprosy Hospital in Balakot, Distt. Mansehra, KPK, where they send teams of trained personnel on a monthly basis.
In 1994 leprosy control in KPK was combined with a Primary Eye Care Programme, in 1996 the same combined activities were initiated in the Punjab Province.
Main donors of ALP are the German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association (GLRA) and MISEREOR Germany for the Primary Eye Care project. ALP also receives contributions from private local and foreign donors.
ALP assists the Provincial Health Departments in the outreach work for leprosy control in Hazara Division of KPK and in the Province of Punjab, delivering medicines to the patients at home, examining their contacts, carrying out surveys and providing health education.
The Rawalpindi Leprosy Hospital (RLH) was established in 1904. The hospital has 97 beds basically for patients with NTDs and tuberculosis (TB) patients. There is an outpatient clinic for NTDs and TB patients, an eye clinic, a skin clinic, a general physiotherapy department, a small surgical unit and an orthopedic shoe workshop. There are also regular training programmes on leprosy and TB in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the Provincial Health Departments.
Since 2001 RLH is a government recognized Diagnostic and Treatment Centre for TB within the Provincial TB Control Programme Punjab. Since 2011 it is also recognized as site for Programmatic Management of drug-resistant TB (PMDT site).
Great importance is given to the prevention and treatment of disabilities and to the physical, psychological and social rehabilitation of cured NTD and TB patients into mainstream society.
ALP is involved with education, family planning and rehabilitation of patients and helps deserving dependent children. Various means of physical rehabilitation – e.g. spectacles, orthopedic shoes and artificial limbs – are provided for.
In the Primary Eye Care Programme screening campaigns in the communities and schools for eye diseases, running 81 primary eye care clinics at basic health units and a referral system for cataract surgeries are the main activities.
Since 2011 ALP is running a community-based inclusive development (CBID) project in 12 union councils of Tehsil Gujar Khan, District Rawalpindi. Persons with disabilities, their families and the rural communities are benefitting from ALP’s services. The aim is that all are facilitated to achieve their maximal potential of life.
In 2023 approx. 400 leprosy and NTD patients, 25000 skin patients, 1000 TB patients, 1000 patients for physical therapy, 50000 clients in the CBID project area and 120000 eye patients have benefited from the services of ALP.
In 2023 the total expenditure for the combined programmes of ALP was Rs. 177,702,889/-
ALP first worked with the Karachi Municipal Corporation in Manghopir and helped to transform their leprosy asylum into a fully upgraded hospital.
In 1966 ALP began work with the Government Leprosy Hospital in Balakot, Distt. Mansehra, KPK, where they send teams of trained personnel on a monthly basis.
In 1994 leprosy control in KPK was combined with a Primary Eye Care Programme, in 1996 the same combined activities were initiated in the Punjab Province.
Main donors of ALP are the German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association (GLRA) and MISEREOR Germany for the Primary Eye Care project. ALP also receives contributions from private local and foreign donors.
ALP assists the Provincial Health Departments in the outreach work for leprosy control in Hazara Division of KPK and in the Province of Punjab, delivering medicines to the patients at home, examining their contacts, carrying out surveys and providing health education.
The Rawalpindi Leprosy Hospital (RLH) was established in 1904. The hospital has 97 beds basically for patients with NTDs and tuberculosis (TB) patients. There is an outpatient clinic for NTDs and TB patients, an eye clinic, a skin clinic, a general physiotherapy department, a small surgical unit and an orthopedic shoe workshop. There are also regular training programmes on leprosy and TB in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the Provincial Health Departments.
Since 2001 RLH is a government recognized Diagnostic and Treatment Centre for TB within the Provincial TB Control Programme Punjab. Since 2011 it is also recognized as site for Programmatic Management of drug-resistant TB (PMDT site).
Great importance is given to the prevention and treatment of disabilities and to the physical, psychological and social rehabilitation of cured NTD and TB patients into mainstream society.
ALP is involved with education, family planning and rehabilitation of patients and helps deserving dependent children. Various means of physical rehabilitation – e.g. spectacles, orthopedic shoes and artificial limbs – are provided for.
In the Primary Eye Care Programme screening campaigns in the communities and schools for eye diseases, running 81 primary eye care clinics at basic health units and a referral system for cataract surgeries are the main activities.
Since 2011 ALP is running a community-based inclusive development (CBID) project in 12 union councils of Tehsil Gujar Khan, District Rawalpindi. Persons with disabilities, their families and the rural communities are benefitting from ALP’s services. The aim is that all are facilitated to achieve their maximal potential of life.
In 2023 approx. 400 leprosy and NTD patients, 25000 skin patients, 1000 TB patients, 1000 patients for physical therapy, 50000 clients in the CBID project area and 120000 eye patients have benefited from the services of ALP.
In 2023 the total expenditure for the combined programmes of ALP was Rs. 177,702,889/-