Chairman Yohei Sasakawa of The Nippon Foundation was awarded a special medal by President Jose Ramos Horta recently in thanks for the work done by the Foundation to eliminate leprosy in the Democratic Republic of East Timor.

Chairman Sasakawa visits East Timor Leprosy Treatment Facility

The presentation ceremony was held in Dili, the capital city of East Timor.

The award was given in thanks for the years of effort that The Nippon Foundation has put into working on the elimination of leprosy in the island nation.

“We hope you come back again this year to celebrate more progress in the elimination of this disease,” said President Horta.

East Timor President Horta pins medal on Chairman Sasakawa

East Timor has a population of 1.2 million people and is located in the eastern part of the Indonesian archipelago between Indonesia and Australia.

The country’s recent independence day celebration was attended by former Poland president Lech Walesa, who was also present for Chairman Sasakawa’s award ceremony.

East Timor Independence Day celebration on 20 May

President Horta said on the occasion, "Thanks to you, our country has made great strides in the elimination of leprosy. I ask for your continued support."

After independence on 20 May 2002, pockets of violence and fighting continued in East Timor. This contributed to an unstable situation in the country, but thanks to the dispatch of a United Nations police force to maintain public safety, the country is now at peace. This May’s independence celebration also commemorated the end to the UN police force which was led by New Zealand soldiers, and who have now returned home.

Yohei Sasakawa (left), Lech Walesa (center), and President Horta at award ceremony

The number of patients with leprosy in East Timor in 2003 was 7.5 people per 10,000 population, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Less than 1 in 10,000 is onsidered “elimination as a public health problem" by WHO because at this level, it is expected that local health services can handle the disease. In 2009, the number of patients per 10,000 had decreased to 1.52 persons, which is getting closer to being under control.

Chairman Sasakawa has made three trips to East Timor as WHO special ambassador to eliminate leprosy. During the previous two trips in 2005 and 2005, medical teams had complained to him that they had not been effective because of poor security and instability in the country, but now all that has changed.

Oecussi in East Timor from the air

Officials now say that with the increased political stability of the country and cooperation among the government, WHO, and NGOs, it is likely that leprosy will be brought under control within the year.

(This report based on the observations and photos of Natsuko Tominaga)