Tropical Medicine – moral dilemmas

In the 19th century, doctors began to leave their home countries to work in tropical countries deprived from economic and cultural advantage of the industrialized world, including the blessings modern medicine. Their motivation was a mixture of genuine altruism, religious conviction and a desire to seek adventure and explore the unknown. Albert Cook, David Livingstone and Albert Schweitzer are only three names that set an example for many to follow. Heroism, a sense of grandeur and hubris were perhaps also involved.

Solidarity and genuine altruism, or adventurous endeavour and pursuing ones’ own interest – what is the impact and moral justification of work, rotations and research projects by western medical students, researchers and clinicians?  What is the trade-off of medical work by foreign students and doctors on the local communities, and the indigenous health care workers?

In this workshop Dr Tjip van der Werf will discuss moral dilemmas and cross-cultural conflicts encountered in educational rotations by students, employment as a doctor in a developing tropical country, and dilemmas in the conduct of research.

Students attending this workshop will be invited and encouraged to engage in discussions on themes that will be introduced by presenting practical problems encountered during medical rotations in rural hospitals, as well as in research projects in Africa. 

Specifically, we will discuss items such as ‘medical tourism’, medical competence or incompetence, irresponsible behaviour, or commitment, dedication and devotion in the context of medical rotation. What is the trade-off of employing foreign doctors instead of employing doctors trained within the region, in cross-cultural barriers, economic costs, and possibly, yet other secondary effects? 

Dr Tjip van der Werf is a professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases & Tuberculosis; he worked as a medical student and later as a Medical Doctor and researcher in Kenya, Ghana and other African countries.  His present research interest is in Mycobacterium ulcerans infection, tuberculosis and respiratory infections.