World Health Organisation Bejel/Syphilis Project in Iraq

Series contains papers created by and belonging to Dr George Csonka relating to syphilis and bejel (endemic non-venereal syphilis) in Iraq. Csonka spent the early 1950s as the Chief Medical Adviser on the World Health Organisation's project against bejel and syphilis.

At the World Health Organisation's First World Health Assembly in July 1948, the representative from Iraq proposed that bejel should be studied as the disease was widespread in Eastern Mediterranean countries. Eventually this proposal was referred to the WHO's Expert Committee on Venereal Diseases who in turn suggested that due to the non-venereal nature of the disease, bejel be made a separate activity of the WHO and that further research on the subject was required. The project was set up to fully investigate the geographical distribution and epidemiology of bejel, to undertake clinical investigations in order to develop a satisfactory understanding of the causality of the disease and if bejel is syphilis. The programme also researched measures to control bejel which was used to implement a mass treatment plan across Iraq.

Csonka took part in a similar project in the 1970s-1980s on the Bejel/Syphilis Project in Saudi Arabia (See reference number PP/CSO/A/2)