Health, Society, and Humanity: Medical Practice in Algeria

9 Questions

During which centuries was medical training provided in Hippo?

4th century to 5th century

The practice of medicine in Algeria during the colonial period was essentially naturalistic.

True

Who discovered the malarial hematozoan in 1880 at the Constantine hospital?

Doctor A.Laveran

The first woman doctor in Africa, Aldjia Benallegue-Nourredine, was born in Kabylie in _____.

1919

Match the medical practice with the corresponding period:

Practice of naturalistic medicine based on Islamic principles = Arabs in the 7th century European medicine reserved for captives = Ottomans during the colonial period Focus on tropical medicine and discovery of malarial transmission by mosquitoes = Medical advancements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries

When was Dr. Mounia AMIAR elected foreign corresponding member of the French National Academy of Medicine?

April 20, 1982

Who was the first professor of Radiology in independent Algeria?

Professor Mohamed Messaoud Bendib

In 1971, the Faculty of Medicine disappeared and was replaced by an Institute of Medical Sciences (ISM) under the supervision of the National Institute of Higher Studies in Medical Sciences (INESSM), which brought together the three institutes of medicine, pharmacy, and dental surgery. The reduction in the number of years of study to __ and the abolition of the internship, replaced by a three-year residency.

six

Match the following individuals with their roles during the colonial period in Algeria:

Doctor Atsamena = Chief Medical Officer of Wilaya I Doctor Lamine Khène = Head of the Wilaya II Health Department Doctor Youcef Khatib = Member of the Wilaya IV Council Doctor Frantz Fanon = Psychiatrist at Blida hospital who joined the FLN in 1954

Study Notes

Medical Practice in Algeria during the Colonial Period

Introduction

Algeria has a long history of medical practice, dating back to the Numidians in the 3rd century BC
The Numidians were known for their longevity and built the kingdom of Numidia
Medical training was provided in Hippo from the 4th to the 5th century and lasted for 5 years, including theoretical and practical components

Medical Practice before 1830

Arabs introduced Islam in North Africa in the 7th century, influencing medicine
Physicians drew inspiration from the Koran and Sunah, establishing a naturalistic medicine focused on hygiene and prophylactic measures
Medical education was provided in medersas (universities) and financed by habous (waqf)
Notable hospitals were built, including one in Tlemcen and another in Bejaïa, staffed by qualified naturalists, nurses, and pharmacists

The Army Health Service in Algeria

French colonization lasted 130 years and can be divided into two phases: "Heal to Conquer!" and medicine as a tool for marginalizing the native population
Medical officers dealt with endemic diseases and epidemics, with military hospitals open to civil servants, settlers, and natives
The Dey hospital in Algiers was established in 1830, followed by hospitals in Guelma and Constantine
The Mustapha Pacha civil hospital was inaugurated in 1854, with a medical course organized in 1855

Development of Tropical Medicine

Malaria was a significant concern, with doctors F.C. Maillot and A. Laveran making significant contributions to the fight against the disease
Laveran discovered the malarial hematozoan in 1880 and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine in 1907
The Institut Pasteur in Algiers was founded in 1894 to combat malaria

Attempts to Train Indigenous Medical Personnel

The Catholic Church's attempt: Cardinal Archbishop Lavigerie co-founded the Hôpital Sainte-Elisabeth des Attafs in 1874
The General Government's attempt: General Chanzy created the Arab offices to administer the indigenous population
The corps of indigenous paramedics was created in 1901, recruiting medersa graduates to work alongside colonial physicians

The Interwar Period (1920-1940)

The colonization medical service was placed under the authority of the Governor General in 1920
The Institute of Hygiene and Colonial Medicine was created at the Faculty of Medicine in Algiers in 1923
Auxiliary hospitals were replaced with consultation rooms and first-aid ophthalmological dispensaries

The Second World War and Independence

The Colonization Medical Service reached its peak in 1939, with 112 medical districts
The Algerian Medical Corps was created in 1944, including former colonial physicians
The first Muslim doctors during the colonial period included Doctor Mohamed Benlarbey and Doctor Aldjia Benallegue-Nourredine

Medical Practice in the Maquis (1954-1962)

Doctor Mohamed Messaoud Bendib was a professor of Radiology and called for a strike by Algerian students at the University
Several doctors joined the maquis and the ALN, occupying important positions

The Post-World War II Period

Insecurity forced health service personnel to restrict their activities during this period
Military doctors took over from civilian doctors in the boondocks