- Many different treatments for Hansen’s disease were tested throughout history before the success of Promin, a sulfone drug, was reported in 1948. This was an epoch-making event, as Promin proved that Hansen’s disease is curable. It brought greats hopes to the patients. It triggered the patients to rise up to take action to regain the human rights lost through involuntary segregation.
- This led to the establishment of residents’ associations seeking patient autonomy in each sanatorium. These associations were later organized into a national network, demanding improvement of medical care and living conditions. They also demanded the reform of the law responsible for forced segregation, a change from the discriminatory word “leprosy” to “Hansen’s disease”, and protection for their families from social stigma and discrimination.
- There was even social discrimination against minorities living in the sanatoria such as Koreans, visually impaired persons, and the poor. The residents lobbied for equality and comfort of all the residents.
- The Hansen’s disease sanatoria as we know them today are the result of the consistent efforts of the residents for overall improvements.
