Kuluva is the site of two integrated leprosary settlements, run by the African Inland Mission (AIM) and the African Local Government (ALG).

The initial idea for a settlement in the West Nile District was conceived by the AIM in 1946. They secured the lease at Kuluva in 1948 and began work on the settlement immediately. This was situated on a plot of 200 acres, 7 miles from Arua, the administrative centre of the district, and supported by funds from the British Mission to Lepers.

In 1949 a survey produced what later proved to be overly alarmist reports of a high incidence of leprosy in the region, and local government officers decided that the facilities for leprosy care and treatment in the area needed to be augmented.

It was not possible to enlarge the AIM settlement due to local policies concerning the distribution and ownership of land. Therefore the African Local Government decided to take over an additional 1,500 acres surrounding the AIM site and to settle patients there.

In the meantime, work was continuing on the AIM settlement. By mid-1950 the first residence and six buildings for patients had been completed and in September 1950, patients began to be admitted. Initially only 30 could be housed, and many more were turned away. To cater for the high demand, an outpatient clinic was set up to treat local patients, including the administration of DDS injections. In order to make the best possible use of the limited accommodation only lempromatous cases were accepted as inpatients, unaccompanied by family members.

In 1950-51 an extensive building programme was carried out. This enabled the AIM site to house over 100 patients, and also provided a small general hospital and staff residences. The building work was facilitated by funds from the Government, Mission to Lepers and other voluntary contributions.

In 1951 preparatory work began on the proposed ALG site, beginning with the construction of a road to provide access. By March a Reception Camp of 9 buildings had been completed. An initial cohort of 48 leprotamous and tuberculoid patients was selected and admitted from the local District. Treatment was by weekly injections of DDS. In September these patients were moved into a specially constructed village, 3 patients per house, and another 48 patients selected for entry in the Reception Camp. This process was to be repeated every 5 months. Each new village was surrounded by arable land, to be farmed by the residents.

Source: E H Williams and P H Williams, "The Story of Kuluva", Leprosy Review, 24.3 (1953): 132-8.