Medische Zending Primary Health Care Suriname, commonly known as Medische Zending (

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

for "medical mission") or MZ is a

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

charitable organization A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, Religion, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definitio ...

offering primary healthcare to remote villages in the interior of Suriname.

History

The history of Medische Zending began on 3 October 1740 with J. Franz Reynier. Reynier, a medical doctor and missionary, and his wife came to Suriname on behalf of the

Moravian Church The Moravian Church ( cs, Moravská církev), or the Moravian Brethren, formally the (Latin: "Unity of the Brethren"), is one of the oldest Protestantism, Protestant Christian denomination, denominations in Christianity, dating back to the Bohem ...

. The purpose was not just to be a missionary, but also to provide medical health care including operations. Medische Zending was established in 1765 when Ludwig Christiaan Dehne, Rudolf Stoll, and Thomas Jones established a base near the

Suriname River The Suriname River (Dutch: ''Surinamerivier'') is 480 km long and flows through the country Suriname. Its sources are located in the Guiana Highlands on the border between the Wilhelmina Mountains and the Eilerts de Haan Mountains (where it i ...

which became the first clinic. C.F.A. Bruining en J. Voorhoeve, 'Encyclopedie van Suriname' – 'Geneeskunde – Medische zending en missie', pag. 212-213, Elsevier, Amsterdam – Brussel, pag. 216-217, , 1977 The evangelism efforts started to decline with the British seizing of the Dutch colonies during the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

and ended in 1808, however the first hospital remained operational until 1817. It wasn't until 1919 when a outpatient clinic was founded at

Botopasi Botopasi, also spelled Boto-Pasi, is a Saamaka village in Suriname. The village had a population of about 740 people in 2001. The villages has a school, clinic and a church. The resources of the village are shared with the nearby village of Debi ...

. On 2 Januari 1974, the foundation Medizebs was established to continue the work of the Church and to transfer Medische Zending to the Ministry of Health.

Healthcare centres

Medische Zending operates 52 primary healthcare centres in the Surinamese interior:Map of MZ healthcare centres
/ref> *

Afobaka Afobaka is a village in the Brokopondo District of Suriname. Between 1960 and 1964, the 1913 meter-long Afobaka Dam was built on the Suriname River, creating the Brokopondo Reservoir. The Afobaka Airstrip is nearby. Healthcare Afobaka is home ...

* Agaigoni * Apoema *

Apoera Apoera, also Apura, is a town in western Suriname. The village has a population of 777 people as of 2020. It is the final destination of the Southern East-West Link. north-west on the other side of the Courantyne River lies the Guyanese village ...

* Balingsoela *

Brokopondo Brokopondo is the capital town of the Brokopondo District, Suriname. It is located on the west shore of the Suriname river, just north of the Afobaka dam. Brokopondo can be reached via the Afobakaweg from Paranam to Afobaka. Nearby is a granite mo ...

Brownsweg Brownsweg is a town and resort in Suriname in the Brokopondo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 4,793. History The town was named after the road that leads to the Brownsberg, and the Brownsberg Nature Park. It is situated near the ...

Corneliskondre Corneliskondre is a village in Suriname, located in the Boven Coppename resort of Sipaliwini District. It has a population of 70 as of 2020, and is inhabited by indigenous people of the Kalina tribe. Corneliskondre has been named after Corneli ...

Cottica Cottica Lawa (often called Cottica) is a village in the district of Sipaliwini, Suriname. It is located in the east, along the Marowijne River and the border with French Guiana. The village has a school, and a clinic. History During the 18th ce ...

* Debike *

Djoemoe Djumu, also spelled Djoemoe, is a village in Suriname. It is located at the confluence of the Gran Rio and the Pikin Rio which continue as the Upper Suriname River. The village is home to Maroons of the Saramaka tribe. Healthcare Djumu is h ...

Donderskamp Donderskamp ( Kalina: Konomerume) is an indigenous village of Kalina Amerindians in the resort of Boven Coppename in the Sipaliwini District in Suriname. The village is located on the Wayambo River. History The origin of the name is unclear. ...

* Drietabiki * Gakaba *

Godo Holo Godo Holo (also Godo Olo) is a group of villages in the Tapanahony resort of the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The villages are inhabited by Maroons of the Ndyuka people. Godo Olo is the name for a group of three neighbouring villages: ''San ...

* Goejaba * Hekoenoenoe *

Jaw Jaw Jaw Jaw, also Yaw Yaw, is a village of Saamaka Maroons in the Boven Suriname resort of the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The village is located on the Suriname River. Jaw Jaw is a transmigration village built for the inhabitants of Lombé ...

* Kajana *

Kalebaskreek Kalebaskreek is an indigenous village of Kalina Amerindians in the resort of Calcutta in the Saramacca District in Suriname. History Kalebaskreek is a fishing village on the Coppename River. The village can only be reached by boat. It is locate ...

Klaaskreek Klaaskreek is a resort in Suriname, located in the Brokopondo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 2,124. Located northeast of Brokopondo, the main town is Reinsdorp. In 2007, a technical training centre in biological agriculture was ...

* Kambaloa * Karmel *

Kawemhakan Kawemhakan, formerly also known as Anapaikë, is a Wayana village in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The village lies on the banks of the Lawa River, which forms the border with French Guiana. Name The indigenous name of the village is Ka ...

* Kwakoegron *

Kwamalasamutu Kwamalasamutu, also Kwamalasamoetoe, is a Tiriyó Amerindian village in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname, and home to the granman (paramount chief) of the northern Trios. Kwamalasamutu is the biggest village of the Tiriyó tribe. History The ...

* Ladoani *

Langatabiki Langatabiki (Dutch language, Dutch: ''Langatabbetje'') is a Paramaccan people, Paramacca village in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. Langatabiki is the residence of the granman of the Paramaccan people. Langatabiki is located in the Pamacca re ...

* Lebidotie * Marchallkreek *

Nason, Suriname Nason (also: Amekan kondre) is a village of Paramacca Maroons in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The village is located on an island in the Marowijne River. History The village was originally known as Amekan kondre after their chief Amekan. I ...

Nieuw Jacobkondre Nieuw Jacobkondre (also Njoeng Jacob Kondre or just Jacobkondre) is a town in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. It is situated on the Saramacca River. The village is inhabited by Matawai people. Overview The village of Jacobkondre was founded ...

* Nieuw Koffiekamp * Nieuw Lombe *

Paloemeu Paloemeu or Palumeu is an Amerindian village in the interior of Suriname, situated at the site where the Paloemeu River joins the Tapanahoni River. Most inhabitants of the village are native Tiriyó Amerindians. The remainder belongs to the Wayana ...

* Peleloe Tepoe *

Poesoegroenoe Poesoegroenoe or Pusugrunu or Psugrunu is a Matawai village in Boven Saramacca, Sipaliwini District, central Suriname. The village lies along the Saramacca River and is the residence of the gaanman of the Matawai maroons. Healthcare Poesoegr ...

* Phedra *

Pokigron Pokigron is a town in Suriname located on Brokopondo Reservoir. It is located in the Boven Suriname municipality (resort) in the Sipaliwini District. It has a population of approximately 400 people in 2018. Pokigron is located at the end of a pave ...

* Puleowime * Semoisie *

Sipaliwini Savanna The Sipaliwini Savanna is a protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which var ...

Stoelmanseiland Stoelmanseiland (or Stoelie) is an island, and a village in the Paramacca resort of the Sipaliwini District. It is located at the confluence of the Tapanahony River with the Lawa River which forms the Marowijne River, and is also the border with ...

* Soekoenale * Tapoeripa *

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Washabo Washabo is a town in Suriname, located in the Kabalebo resort of Sipaliwini district. The town lies on a bend in the Corantijn river (Courantyne), on the border with Guyana. Washabo is an indigenous village of the Lokono tribe near Apoera. It has ...

Witagron Witagron (or Bitagron) is a Kwinti people, Kwinti village in Suriname on the Coppename River at the crossing of the Southern East-West Link (Suriname), East-West Link from Paramaribo to Apoera in West-Suriname. In the local language ''Bitagron'' ...

References

{{reflist

External links

Official site
Medical and health organisations based in Suriname