Joaquim Magalhães de Castro
Most leprosy colonies in Vietnam were established between the beginning of the 20th century (such as Quy Hoa, in the city of Qui Nhon, in central Vietnam, in 1929) and the 1960s and 1970s (such as Bien Hoa, in southern Vietnam, in 1968) in remote and isolated areas, due to fear of the disease spreading to the community. Therefore, they lack basic services and face precarious living conditions, both physical and mental. Leprosy not only torments patients physically, but also leaves deep psychological scars. Lepers, in addition to feeling embarrassed by their appearance, are also ostracized and rejected wherever they go. Some elderly people contracted the disease when they were young and have lived in leper colonies for 50 or 60 years because they have nowhere else to go. Most patients are cared for by Catholic nuns from orders such as Lovers of the Cross, Franciscan Missionaries, etc., in more than 10 facilities throughout the country, known as “leper colonies.” The nuns not only treat leprosy patients but also care for elderly people and orphaned children affected by the disease.
Mrs. Lo Thi Coc, who has already been cured of leprosy, still has vision problems and feels a lot of pain in her legs due to deformities, especially when the weather changes. She never forgets the horrific experiences of fear and discrimination she suffered from her neighbors in the past. Incidentally, she confided to a reporter from the Fides news agency: “At that time, my family and I were going through many difficulties; we were very poor, and nobody wanted to approach us for fear of being infected. At that moment, I thought about fleeing to the forest to live the rest of my life, but thanks to the unwavering support and companionship of my son, I changed my mind.”
Understanding the immense suffering of these people, the Sisters of the Lovers of the Cross, or Franciscan Missionaries, dedicated themselves to caring for the sick in leper colonies, which helped many of them rediscover the joy of living. “I don’t have family here, but Catholic nuns and various organizations help me, so life is a little easier,” Mr. Joseph That, 78, a patient at the Ben San leper colony in the village of Long Binh, Binh Duong province, South Vietnam, confided to Fides. He was married, but his wife left him after discovering he had leprosy and never contacted him again. Now, his legs have had to be amputated, he uses prostheses, his hands are contracted as a result of leprosy, and he limps when he walks—a truly lamentable sight.
A patient at the leper colony run by nuns of the Franciscan Missionary Order in Quy Nhon, central Vietnam, shared: “The nuns fight for our rights, so we all respect them and consider them as family members.” Another patient, who has been in the leper village since 1960, whose father was a member of the Communist Party and whose siblings are Buddhist, said he converted to Catholicism because the nuns cared for him as if he were their mother. Following the nuns’ example, he remains at the colony to cut the hair of elderly patients, visit them, and comfort them.
Many examples of dedicated service by Catholic nuns in leper colonies have been recognized by the community and praised in state newspapers, especially that of Sister Nurse Anna Nguyen Thi Xuan, born in 1957, who has dedicated nearly 40 years to caring for patients in the Qua Cam leper colony in the Bac Ninh diocese in northern Vietnam. She received the Third Class Labor Medal from the President of Vietnam and is one of 50 people who received an honorable mention from the Prime Minister for their achievements in the area of social assistance.
Meaningful activities that demonstrate the care and communion of the entire Vietnamese Catholic Church toward lepers, such as visits and the distribution of gifts, are regularly carried out by Catholic communities everywhere. More recently, during the Lunar New Year of the Horse celebrations on February 5th, the Diocese of Thai Binh organized a New Year’s gathering and celebration with leprosy patients at Dong Tho Chapel, Thai Sa Parish. Through this, Bishop Dominic Dang Van Cau – Bishop of the Diocese – asked the faithful to welcome, love, and accompany those suffering from leprosy. He emphasized: “This is not only an act of mercy, but also a concrete action of solidarity.”
Currently, the Diocese of Thai Binh is building a new facility – a home for those suffering from leprosy, which is expected to create a stable, safe, and welcoming living space, providing patients with long-term refuge.
The number of leprosy cases detected in Vietnam in 2025 is 38, marking the lowest annual number of cases ever recorded. The number of cases has decreased dramatically in recent years
For years, between 2012 and 2016, more than 1,000 cases were detected nationwide. In the last five years, only a few dozen cases have been detected annually. Currently, all provinces and cities have been recognized as leprosy-free zones, with only sporadic cases. According to Vietnamese health experts, this sharp decline is due to effective treatment protocols and timely management of leprosy cases in the community. However, there are still approximately 6,000 leprosy patients nationwide today, most of whom are people who have had the disease and recovered from the bacteria but still suffer from severe sequelae.
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