We’ll be meeting Counsellor, Khadiza Tul Kobra (left) from Lepra Bangladesh who will be giving an insight into her vital work and sharing tips on how to maintain positive mental health. Khadiza provides one-to-one counselling for people affected by leprosy, LF, and their families. She trains volunteer ‘Mental Motivators’ to provide basic mental health support in the community, and is part of the psychiatric team at a government hospital.
Khadiza tells us that many people experiencing mental health issues delay seeking help due to stigma and discrimination,
“Due to cultural beliefs, Bangladeshi people often believe that a person with abnormal behaviour has ‘gone mad’ or has been possessed by the devil in which case they remain untreated which causes prolonged suffering.”
You can read Khadiza’s full interview in our next issue of Lepra News.
Khadiza works with the Mind to Heart Project which aims to reduce anxiety and depression in people affected by leprosy and LF alongside improving access to mental health provision.
