ALERT is a medical facility on the edge of
Addis Ababa, specializing in Hansen's disease, also known as “
leprosy”. It was originally the All Africa Leprosy Rehabilitation and Training Center (hence the acronym), but the official name is now expanded to include
tuberculosis: All Africa Leprosy, Tuberculosis and Rehabilitation Training Centre.
ALERT's activities focus on its hospital, rehabilitation of leprosy patients, training programs for leprosy personnel from around the world, and leprosy control (administration of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health's regional leprosy control program). From the beginning, ALERT provided leprosy training for medical students from
Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa University (AAU) ( am, አዲስ አበባ ዩኒቨርሲቲ) is a national university located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is the oldest university in Ethiopia. AAU has thirteen campuses. Twelve of these are situated in Addis Ababa, ...
. Also at ALERT is the
Armauer Hansen
Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen () (29 July 1841 – 12 February 1912) was a Norwegian physician, remembered for his identification of the bacterium '' Mycobacterium leprae'' in 1873 as the causative agent of leprosy. His distinguished work ...
Research Institute, founded in 1970, specializing in leprosy research. There is currently a 240-bed teaching hospital, which includes
dermatology,
ophthalmology, and
surgery
Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...
departments, also an
orthopedic workshop, and a rehabilitation program.
ALERT is the continuation and expansion of the leprosy hospital originally built by Dr.
Thomas Lambie in 1922, which was later named the Princess Zänäbä Wärq Hospital. A memorandum to found ALERT was signed Dec. 11, 1965 by representatives of the
Ministry of Health Ministry of Health may refer to:
Note: Italics indicate now-defunct ministries.
* Ministry of Health (Argentina)
* Ministry of Health (Armenia)
* Australia:
** Ministry of Health (New South Wales)
* Ministry of Health (The Bahamas)
* Ministry of ...
, Addis Ababa University, the
International Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled
International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations".
International may also refer to:
Music Albums
* ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011
* ''International'' (New Order album), 2002
* ''International'' (The T ...
,
The Leprosy Mission, and Dr.
Eugene Kellersberger
Eugene Roland Kellersberger (August 6, 1888 – January 28, 1966) was an American physician who was a pioneer in the treatment of leprosy and a missionary surgeon in Africa. In addition to his medical research, he fought to reduce the stigma of le ...
of the
American Leprosy Mission
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
, who had had the vision for establishing such a multifaceted center and had been the main promoter of the project.
Literature
* Unseth, Peter. 2003. "ALERT", ''Encyclopaedia Aethiopica'', vol. 1, edited by Siegbert Uhlig, p. 194,195. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
* Vass, Winifred K. (1999). ''Doctor Not Afraid'', 2nd ed. Dallas, TX (USA).
External links
All Africa Leprosy, Tuberculosis and Rehabilitation Training (ALERT) Centredescribed by the
World Health Organization
*
{{Authority control
Hospitals in Ethiopia
Medical education in Ethiopia
Teaching hospitals
Buildings and structures in Addis Ababa