- Volume 57 , Number 3
- Page: 700–4
News and notes
This department furnishes information concerning institutions, organizations, and individuals engaged in work on leprosy and other mycobacterial diseases, and makes note of scientific meetings and other matters of interest.
India. Bombay Leprosy Project 1989 Antileprosy Week celebrations. Throughout Antileprosy Week (30 January to 5 February 1989), the Bombay Leprosy Project (BLP) held the following celebrations: 30 January = Lecture and slide demonstrations at LTMM College, Sion Hospital, attended by 25 undergraduate medical students. Dr. R. Ganapati was interviewed on Channel II of Bombay Doordarshan. 31 January = Dr. Ganapati presented a paper entitled "What Lions Can do for Leprosy Eradication and Rehabilitation" to the inaugural function of the Lions Clubs of India Leprosy Eradication Action Program "LEAP 1989" at the Talkatora indoor stadium, New Delhi, attended by 600 members. A leprosy case demonstration was arranged for medical students at the Urban Health Center, Dharavi. 1 February = Dr. Ganapati participated in a panel discussion on "Leprosy-Knowledge and Attitude" with the Rotary Club of Bombay Downtown. 2 February = There was an exhibition of 200 posters at the Shramik Vidyapeeth, Dharavi, in collaboration with the BLP; 2000 community members attended and leaflets were distributed widely. A skin camp, arranged by the BLP at Shramik Vidyapeeth, Dharavi, was attended by 8 7 5 persons for voluntary check ups; ten leprosy cases were detected and free medicines were distributed for various complaints. 3 February = Films on leprosy were shown at Nirmala Niwas, Khar, Danda, for slum women and youth groups. - Materials from BLP
JALMA Trust Fund Oration Award. Professor Virendra N. Sehgal, Head of the Department of Dermatology, Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi, is the recipient of the prestigious JALMA Trust Fund Oration Award for 1988 from the Indian Council of Medical Research. Our congratulations to Professor Sehgal on this honor. -RCH
Obervance of Anti-Leprosy Day 30 January 1989. The purpose of observing Anti-Leprosy Day on 30 January of every year is twofold: 1) to recall on the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi the abundant love he had for leprosy work and the services he rendered to leprosy sufferers, and 2) to utilize this occasion for creating awareness about leprosy among the masses through mass media and other methods. The Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh, being the premier voluntary organization engaged in leprosy control work in India since 1929, takes the lead in observing this day by obtaining messages from high dignitaries and transmitting them to its state branches, voluntary organizations, government units, newspapers, TV and radio to motivate them to organize public functions on that day with a view to creating public awareness about leprosy.
This year Anti-Leprosy Day was observed in a befitting manner on 30 January 1989 throughout the country. Messages obtained by the Sangh from the President of India, Prime Minister of India, and the Union Health Minister and transmitted to all concerned were well publicized in daily newspapers, TV and All India Radio. Public functions were organized by several organizations engaged in leprosy control work and the messages sent to them were read out to the public besides arranging lectures/ speeches by prominent leprologists. Two leading national dailies "The National Herald" and "The Tribune" published in full the handout issued by the Sangh in their 30 January 1989 edition free of cost. A profile on Prof. T. N. Jagadisan entitled "A Relentless Crusader" written by Dr. C. K. Rao, Honorary Secretary of the Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh, was published in the weekly edition of "The Hindu" dated 29 January 1989. In the capital city of Delhi, the Lions Club International organized a public procession and launched its LEAP project (Leprosy Eradication Action Programme). - Kusht Vinashak Monthly 11 (1989) 4-5.
Karigiri Video teaching/training materials. For the past several years, Karigiri Video has been producing video programs on leprosy for medical officers, paramedical personnel, patients and the community. All of their video tapes listed below are PAL, VHS and cost Rsl75 plus postage and handling. Tapes can be ordered from: Karigiri Video, Schieffelin Leprosy Research & Training Centre, Karigiri, North Arcot District 632106, India.
Poona District Leprosy Committee Annual Report, 1987-1988. The Poona District Leprosy Committee and its Dr. Bandorawalla Leprosy Hospital continued to serve the cause of leprosy as before. All projects showed growth and potential for more growth.
The Dr. Minoo Mehta Industrial Production Co-operative Society for the Welfare of the Handicapped, Ltd., is well-entrenched and the experiment appears to be successful, ready for emulation by other institutions working in the field of the leprosy handicapped.
The Water India Project with the assistance of Lion Stig Spangfors through the Lions Club of Poona-Kirkec and by the direct assistance from the Lions of Sweden has been started with purchase of pumping equipment and related accessories.
Another significant step toward integration of leprosy patients into the general community was the successful organization of several sports activities between the patients and staff of the hospital and various teams from the surrounding villages and even from distant rural areas. The mingling of the noninfectious leprosy-affected and healthy persons was so natural that for a moment the patients forgot that they had leprosy and the healthy participants did away with any reservations they might have had about this disease. This attiudinal change is highly significant and could have a snowballing effect, creating the desired atmosphere for the total attrition of the leprosy stigma.
We are once again proud to announce that one of our employees, Mrs. Mrudulata Ramchandra Dande, a cured leprosy patient, was given the highest honor-National Award as the Most Efficient Physically Handicapped Employee-for her work as adult educator of the patients of our hospital. She is a double graduate and holds a Master's Degree in the faculty of Arts. Her life shines as a beacon to all of us.
We are beholden to the leprosy patients, the public, the Government and its various departments, the German Leprosy Relief Association, ICCO, NORAD, SIDA, Lions, Manos Unidas, CRS, TELCO and others.- Dr. Jal Mchta, Hon. President. - (Excerpt from Annual Report)
XVI All India Leprosv Workers Conference 1989. The XVI All India Leprosy Workers Conference was held in New Delhi 3-5 February 1989. It was convened by the Delhi Branch of the Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh. The venue of the conference was Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, Chankayapuri, New Delhi. About 220 delegates from all over the country attended the conference which was inaugurated by Dr. (Mrs.) Rajendra Kumari Bajpai, Minister of Welfare, Government oflndia, on the evening of 3 February 1989. The Conference had an inaugural session, four scientific sessions, four group discussions, and a valedictory function.
The inaugural session held on 3 February 1989 included an inaugural speech by Dr. (Mrs.) Rajendra Kumari Bajpai, (Minister of Welfare); welcome address by Shri Bhagwan Singh (Chairman, HKNS. Delhi Branch); introductory remarks by Shri Jag Pravesh Chandra (Chief Executive Councillor, Delhi); key note address by Dr. S. D. Gokhalc; presentation of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Award for the best leprosy worker; and vote of thanks.
The scientific sessions held on 4 February 1989 had the following four sessions: Session 1 = Multidrug treatment toward leprosy eradication in India; Session 2 = Treatment of leprosy; Session 3 = Clinical and allied aspects; Session 4 = Miscellaneous.
The first scientific session, chaired by Dr. R. Ganapati, was a teaching session on MDT where six papers were read by invited speakers. The second scientific session was chaired by Dr. V. P. Macadcn; five papers were presented. The third scientific session was chaired by Dr. D. S. Chaudhary; five papers were presented. The fourth scientific session was chaired by Dr. Ganguly; five papers were presented.
The following four group discussions were held on 5 February 1989 (forenoon): Group 1 = Administrative and operational aspects; Group 2 = Care of the cured deformed patients; Group 3 = Education and training in leprosy program; Group 4 = Strengthening of the Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh. The reports of the group discussions were presented later in the afternoon.
The valedictory function on 5 February 1989 included summing up of deliberations by Dr. C. K. Rao, Honorary Secretary, H.K.N.S. National Headquarters; address by chief guest Shri Romesh Bhandari, Lt. Governor of Delhi; presentation of Trivcni Ganga Award to the best leprosy workers; and a vote of thanks.
Efforts are being made to get the proceedings of the conference published in the Indian Journal of Leprosy. -S. A. Jagannathan (Kusht Vinashak Monthly 11 (1989) 1-4)
XVI Biennial IAL Conference. The XVI Biennial Conference of the Indian Association of Leprologists (IAL) will be held 101 1 November 1989 at the Regional Theatre, Trichur, Kerala State. A post-Conference workshop on MDT-rclated problems will be held at the same venue on 12 November 1989. Dr. P. Vijay Shankar, Damien Institute, Ayyappankavu, P.O. 680 751, Trichur District, Kerala State, is the Organizing Secretary and the Kerala State Branch of the IAL will host the Conference.
Dr. P. R. Mahadcvan, Foundation for Medical Research, Thadani Marg, Worli, Bombay 400 018, is Chairman of the Scientific Committee and Dr. Deepak A. Parikh, 1 Milan, Dixit Road, Vile Parle (East), Bombay 400 057 is Hon. Secretary.
Abstracts of the scientific papers for oral and poster presentations should reach Dr. Parikh on or before 30 June 1989.
A medal in the amount of RS. 200/- will be awarded to an Indian scientist below the age of 40 years, working in India, for the best published work on any aspect of leprosy published within the last 2 years (October 1987-Scptcmbcr 1989). Applications for consideration for this prize are to be submitted to the IAL Secretariat with five copies of reprints of the paper and complete diodata and must be received by the IAL Secretariat on or before 30 September 1989.
For further details on the Conference and the prize, contact: Dr. V. V. Dongre, Hon. Secretary, Indian Association of Leprologists, % Bombay Leprosy Project, 11 V.N. Purav Marg, Opp. A.T.I., Sion, Bombay 400 022. -Materials from IAL Secretariat
Switzerland. Grants for social and economic research in tropical diseases. The Social and Economic Research Component (SER) of TDR supports opportunities for social and economic research in tropical diseases, to strengthen disease control efforts and to evaluate their effectiveness and social impact. SER also supports the development of theoretical and conceptual frameworks and new research instruments which incorporate both the social and health sciences. Such research inevitably requires a variety of specialists including social scientists, epidemiologists, biomedical researchers, and disease control personnel.
Funding is available to support collaborative, multidisciplinary research and the training of researchers from developing countries, and for collaborative research projects involving scholars from developed and developing countries. TDR encourages such collaboration in instances where significant benefits can be demonstrated to developing country researchers. The request for participation of collaborators from developed countries must originate from principal investigators and their institutions in developing endemic countries.
For more information and application forms, write: Dr. Carol Viassoff, Steering Committee for Social and Economic Research, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.-TDR News 27 (1989) 9.
Report available on joint meeting for leprosy field research. A joint meeting of IMMLEP and THELEP/TDR was held in Geneva, 18-19 April 1988. The objectives of the meeting were to promote field research in testing new drug regimens, vaccines and diagnostic tools, and developing and evaluating approaches for controlling leprosy. A full report of this meeting is available upon request from TDR. -TDR News 27 (1989) 8.
TDR research capability strengthening. Deadline for receipt by the Secretariat of applications for Individual Research Training and Visiting Scientist Grants applications is 31 October 1989.
Re-Entry Grant proposals will be processed immediately on receipt and are reviewed by members of relevant Steering Committees.
Applications for institutional support (short-term, long-term, capital, and program-based grants) are considered once a year and should be received by the Secretariat no later than 31 March of each year. - TDR News 27 (1989) 9.
U.K. Robert Cochrane Fund for Leprosy. The Fund, in memory of the great lcprologist Robert G. Cochrane, is administered by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. It is to be used to finance up to three travel fellowships each year to a maximum value of £1200 each. The Fund will support travel for: a) leprosy workers who need to obtain practical training in field work or in research; b) experienced leprologists to provide practical clinical training in a developing country. There is no restriction on the country of origin or destination, providing the above requirements are fulfilled.
Application forms are available from the Society and completed forms must be received by the Society at least 6 months prior to the proposed trip. All applications must be sponsored by a suitable representative of the applicant's employer or study center and agreed to by the host organization. A two-page report on the travel/study should be submitted to the Society within 1 month of the recipient's return.
For further information contact: Robert Cochrane Fund for Leprosy, Royal Society ofTropical Medicine and Hygiene, Manson House, 26 Portland Place, London WI N 4EY, U.K.
U.S.A. 2nd Annual Course on Infectious, Parasitic and Tropical Diseases. Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A., is the site and 27 November-1 December 1989 are the dates for this course (deadline 27 October 1989.). For further details contact: Dr. B. O. L. Duke. Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases Pathology, Department of Defense, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, D.C. 20306-6000. U.S.A. Telephone: (civilian and foreign) 202-5762980; (federal and military) 202-576-2939.
12th International Conference on Missionary Medicine. Serving in the mission field in the 1990s is not as it was in the 1950s. As people in developing countries take responsibility for their own health, the role of the Western medical missionary changes. How can Christian missions adapt to this new environment?
This question is among many crucial ones to be addressed at MAP International's 12th International Conference on Missionary Medicine. The ICMM, one of the largest regularly scheduled international exchanges for Christian health workers, attracts more than 500 participants. Every 3 years since 1954, the ICMM has brought together Christian medical professionals, mission board officers, and national church leaders to wrestle with the current issues in international health and healing. The 1990 conference promises to help them to redefine their roles on today's mission field.
Cost of Commitment: International
Perspective on Christian
Health and Healing
MAP International's 12th Triennial
International Conference on
Missionary Medicine
June 2-5, 1990
Epworth-by-the-Sea,
St. Simons Island, Georgia, U.S.A.
For more information, contact: Sandra Davis, Public Information Officer, MAP International, P.O. Box 50, Brunswick, Georgia 31520, U.S.A.