FAIRMED - Health for the Poorest
Aarbergergasse 29
CH-3000 Berne 7
SWITZERLAND

Tel:+41/(31) 311 77 97
Fax:+41/(31) 318 08 41

info@fairmed.ch

www.fairmed.ch  

History

Originating in the Emmaus movement of Abbé Pierre, FAIRMED was founded under the name of Leprosy Relief Emmaus Switzerland (Aide aux Lépreux Emmaüs Suisse – ALES) in 1959 with the mission statement “Serve those most in need”. In those days, these were persons affected by leprosy, who had no prospect of being cured and who were outcast from any society.

FAIRMED (ALES) was a founding member of ILEP. It has established co-ordination offices in India, Sri Lanka, Cameroon and the Central African Republic. ALES changed its name to FAIRMED in March 2009 on the occasion of its 50^th Anniversary. The mission statement has changed to “Health for the Poorest”, which continues to include people affected by leprosy, but also many other marginalised people, threatened by disease and poverty.

Priorities

By using synergies and adopting anti-stigma approaches in the fight against leprosy, the activities of FAIRMED has increasingly included tuberculosis, Buruli ulcer and other neglected tropical diseases. More and more FAIRMED has been targeting health problems of the poorest of the poor and marginalized people. The up-dated statutes of 2007 reflect the evolution in the field and broader scope of health interventions for the poorest and the most marginalised who have no access to health care. Leprosy and its consequences will remain a main focus until “a world without leprosy” has been achieved.

Priorities to increase access to health services for the poorest in general by:

• Empowering populations affected by poverty related diseases through community-based health care projects in urban and rural areas
• Strengthening primary health services to improve access and quality of care for poor people
• Supporting hospitals that provide essential services for the poor (leprosy and non-leprosy)
• Supporting national and regional health programmes in leprosy and Buruli ulcer
• Supporting applied and operational research projects
• Advocating in Switzerland for the rights and the needs of people affected by poverty and disease in developing countries

Priorities in the fight against leprosy and its consequences include the following elements in particular:

• Prevention of lasting disability through early case detection and prevention of nerve damage
• Advocating for an end to stigmatisation as also for the human rights of people affected by leprosy
• Interventions for the physical, social and vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities
• Health education, advocacy and social mobilisation for empowerment of people and as preventative measures
• In Switzerland advocacy for people affected by leprosy in the developing world