"Essentially christian eminently philanthropic": The mission to lepers in British India

A história antiga da Missäo para Leprosos na India é a história das relaçöes entre a política, a religiäo e a medicina, dentro do contexto do imperialismo britânico. A Missäo perseguia o par de objetivos inseparáveis da evangelizaçäo e da civilizaçäo, desenvolvendo näo só um programa religioso, como também um político e cultural. Tais atividades e suas conseqüências eram multifacetadas, porque enquanto os missionáriosseguiam sua vocaçäo religiosa, eles também forneciam cuidados médicos a pessoas e lugares que o governo colonial näo podia ou queria atender. Dentro do contexto do programa imperial britânico, o trabalho dos missionários passava ideais sociais e culturais ocidentais para as populaçöes a que serviam, inculcando nos pacientes as crenças cristäs e oferecendo cuidados médicos a indivíduos que haviam sidos expulsos de suas comunidades. A cura do físico estava intimamente ligada à salvaçäo da alma, à cura espiritual e ao processo civilizatório.

[Leprosy, an "exemplary" humanitarian disease?]. / La lèpre, maladie humanitairement "exemplaire"?

Leprosy still remains a dreaded disease despite the possibilities of permanent cure, the efficacy of surgical corrections, and its forthcoming disappearance. The authors conducted several surgical missions in Benin-Africa--over 4 years and report an interesting rate of control in the survey of patients as the results of their procedures were reviewed in 84% of them. Leprosy represents the perfect example of the difficulties of any humanitarian involvement with apparent contradictions between the aims of the medical wishes and the presence of a dreaded symbol that--fortunately or not--allow the existence of the many associations involved in the fight against leprosy.

A model for the coordination of international donor activities with national government health services.

This study is a descriptive analysis of an attempt to coordinate donor agency and government activities in the national leprosy control program of the Philippine Islands. A twofold strategy is employed to realize this purpose: (1) the evolution of the present coordinated program as recorded in both published and unpublished documents is described, and (2) an opinion survey of Philippine personnel active in the present leprosy control program is reported. The most significant finding, in terms of relating the Philippine experience to other areas of donor-recipient exchange, is the emergence of a model of coordinated effort where a donor agency's assistance to a foreign national government is transmitted through a third indigenous and intermediary organization. By advancing the interests of both donor and recipient organizations, this approach has the potential of promoting a successful coordination of activities which might not otherwise be attained.