Voluntary Activities in the Health Centre of Astan Quds Razavi: A Study of the Leper House (1343-1420 AH)

The purpose of this research is to investigate the importance and role of philanthropists in voluntary activities in the health centers of Astan Quds Razavi. Public health is of great significance for the Astan Quds Razavi and this organisation has had the utmost respect for the poor and visiting patients from the past. With this good intention, they have made every effort to promote the well-being of patients and pilgrims, which has often been in the form of endowments. In this paper, Astan Quds Razavi leprosy centre is investigated using the library and archival sources and documents to explore how voluntary activities were formed to establish this institution and what was the role of Astan Quds Razavi in ​​the development of health, treatment and the establishment of a leper house.

Historical research method has been used during years 1343-1420 AH applied for conducting this research. The collected data were analysed based on the analytical descriptive method.

The results indicate that the most of expenses, with regard to health centres in particular establishing the leper house, was covered by the Astan Quds Razavi which was officially included in the annual budget by the end of 1956. However, in some cases public assistance was also reported. A review of the public benefit activities carried out by the Astan Quds Razavi province in the mentioned time indicates the occurrence of factors and reasons affecting the development and improvement of the health situation in Mashhad during that period and causing important developments in the direction of the creation and promotion of leper house.

Examining the level of the Mashhad community`s health in terms of facilities with regard to managing the Hansen`s disease or leprosy between the years before and after the establishment of the leper house shows that Mashhad has undergone many changes due to endowment institutions. Astan Quds Razavi has played an effective role in improving the level of healthcare in Mashhad with the help of endowment and development of its income as well as voluntary activities of donors. By establishing a leper house in Mashhad and gathering some lepers from all over the country, this organization has managed to scientifically and practically prevent the further spread of this disease. Therefore, although the presence and voluntary activities of domestic and foreign benefactors and philanthropists have greatly helped to eradicate and develop health in Mashhad, but the active presence and special attention of Astan Quds Razavi from the past until now to public benefit activities and works despite the presence of benefactors in the field of  health and treatment have had a lot of endowments, which has caused the continuity and continuation of this important issue in attracting people's participation in the field of health and treatment in Mashhad. Finally, what can be obtained from the presented material is that the beginning of charitable institutions and voluntary activities in Mashhad is closely related to the history of medicine and the background of waqf in this city and medical support from the Safavid period onwards.