Acworth Municipal Hospital for Leprosy

Acworth Municipal Hospital for Leprosy (AMHL), or simply Acworth Leprosy Hospital, is a public hospital for leprosy located in Wadala, Mumbai. It is the city's only dedicated leprosy centre, and as of November 2022, has 67 patients in care. Out of these, only two have active leprosy. It was also known as Asylum for Homeless Lepers.[1]

It started with 50 beds as Homeless Leper Asylum on November 7, 1890, and was funded by the city's philanthropists and then municipal commissioner Harry Arbuthnot Acworth. It was later renamed as Acworth Leper Asylum in 1904. The hospital was developed in the premises of Matunga Artillery Centre which were vacated in 1885. By 1957, the hospital had 500 beds.[2] In 1970, the hospital staff started the Acworth Leprosy Hospital Society for Research, Rehabilitation, and Education in Leprosy (ALH-RRE) to commemorate the hospital's 80th anniversary.[3] It is currently run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which restored it in March 2023.[4][5]

The hospital premises also houses the Acworth Leprosy Museum, one of the only five in Asia.[1] It was inaugurated on February 5, 2003.[6]

References
  1. "Mumbai's sole leprosy hospital is home to even ex-patients for up to 80 years". The Times of India. 6 November 2022.
  2. url=https://portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/go/km/docs/documents/MCGM%20Department%20List/ACWORTH%20Municipal%20Hospital%20for%20Leprosy/RTI%20Manuals/Aqworth_lepr_Hosp_RTI_E02.pdf
  3. "ALH-RRE Society".
  4. "At Mumbai's only specialised leprosy hospital, half of medical staff posts vacant". The Indian Express. 17 November 2021.
  5. "Colonial-era Mumbai hospital for leprosy patients gets a healing touch". The Indian Express. 22 April 2023.
  6. "Acworth Leprosy Hospital and Museum | International Leprosy Association - History of Leprosy". leprosyhistory.org.
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