International Leprosy Association -
History of Leprosy

  • International Leprosy Association -
    History of Leprosy

    Database

    Contratación

    Location

    Category Leprosarium
    Country Colombia
    Address Santander

    Notes

    The leprosarium of Contratación was established in 1861. It officially closed in 1961, when the Colombian government passed a law (Ley 148) abolishing the forced isolation of people affected by leprosy. It was then recognised as a municipality, but it continued to provide free health services to leprosy patients, many of whom still lived there as of 2013.

    A publication by Alvaro Ruiz Arenas (in Spanish) chronicles the history of the Contratación colony. It can be accessed here (PDF, 225 pages).

    Entry updated March 2016

    Source

    Cardona-Castro, Nora. "Leprosy in Colombia: post elimination stage." Leprosy Review 84 (2013): 1-10.

    Leprosaria - Historical References
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