Lepers survive on handouts in Pakistani quake town

BALAKOT, Pakistan, Oct 8 (Reuters) Life in the ruined town is bad enough for people who lost their homes in a devastating earthquake a year ago, but for the patients of Balakot's Leprosy Centre it's worse.

The 122-year old centre had served both as sanctuary and a place to get treatment for lepers who came from every corner of northern Pakistan. Now, like the rest of the town, it is a mess of broken walls and concrete rubble.

''For us and many others like us this is home. We have no other place to go,'' rants a frail old man nicknamed ''Chirya'' (Sparrow), waving his bent hands and stubby fingers.

''Even today, in these conservative areas we are looked upon as untouchables,'' says Chirya, who first came with his wife to the centre 50 years ago for treatment and has since made it his home.

About a dozen lepers died in the quake on October 8, 2005, and more than 20 others were injured.

Two dozen patients who have stayed are surviving on handouts from relief agencies. They say the health authorities cut funding after the government declared Balakot a red-zone, barring new construction because it sits on top of a fault line.

The quake destroyed the main hospital building and residential quarters for patients and staff.

The patients now live in donated tents and corrugated sheet shelters while a temporary hall made of wood serves as the main hospital.

''Since this is a red zone, we are in limbo. The centre is not functioning normally and we don't know what is going to happen to this hospital,'' said supervisor Khalid Mahmood.

A German doctor ran the 70-bed hospital until the quake, but she has moved to a leprosy centre in Rawalpindi, the city neighbouring the capital Islamabad.

Some of the patients have gone there too.

The ones who stayed put are pleading for help.

His eyes bloodshot, and his fingers covered in boils, Gul Mohammed insisted on handing a reporter a letter asking President Pervez Musharraf to ease the patients' plight.

Another patient, Ishaq Ali, said: ''I was admitted to the hospital seven years ago after my family neglected me. The German doctor took very good care, but now we are totally homeless.'' REUTERS LL VV1402