[Overseas medical cooperation for elimination of leprosy].
The typical leprosy doctor is disappearing in Japan. One of the reasons for this is that no more new cases arise among people of Japanese nationality. Furthermore, among people of other nationality living in Japan, occurrence of the cases has become rare. At the same time, it has become difficult to get a new medical person for leprosy field because the interest for the overseas medical cooperation has become diversified and there is a misunderstanding that the problem of leprosy in the world has been resolved. However we need to keep speaking out that there are still much more to be done. When we fortunately have someone who wishes to become a leprologist, his/her training is only possible in the very site of NGO in developing countries. One may start his/her work by passionate motivation of "living together", but actually he/she needs to be nurtured by people there. Another way to get involved is to first become a specialist of some sort, and then get in a medical system of a developing country as a narrow range specialist, and while serving them there, one can deepen his/her experiences as a whole leprosy. It is also important for us to think how we accept people who have worked overseas. We need to investigate and construct the supporting system for them. As long as leprosy patients exist in the world who are still suffering, we, as Japanese, need to make efforts in continuously sending people who live with them.
Hatano
Kentaro
K
National Sanatorium Oku-Komyo-en, Oku-cho Mushiake 6253, Setouchi, Okayama 701-4501, Japan. hatano@nsok.hosp.go.jp
D003906:Developing Countries; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007564:Japan; D007918:Leprosy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D008511:Medicine; D013038:Specialization