History Of MSAVLC

The Medical Aid Committee for Vietnam, the forerunner of Medical and Scientific Aid for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, resulted from the visit to Hanoi of a London doctor, Joan McMichael, in early 1965. In Hanoi Joan learned of the terrific suffering of the people of the south of the country as a consequence of shortage of medicines and surgical equipment. She contacted as many humanitarian doctors and other individuals as she could, and in June 1965, at a meeting in the House of Commons, MACV was established.

Within a few weeks, more than 100 persons prominent in Academia, Churches, Medicine, Politics, the Arts and the Trade Unions, became sponsors. Campaigns such as live artistic performances and art exhibitions throughout the 60’s and 70’s provided funding for many projects providing aid for the people of Vietnam. At one point, MACV ran a blood donation campaign, and by the end of 1971, 6,567 pints of blood had been flown to those who needed it.

MACV became a registered charity in 1967. In 1979, it was suggested that the constitution be revised to reflect the fact that aid was being given to Laos and Kampuchea (as Cambodia was then known) and that a post-graduate scholarship for a medical scientist had been established at the North-East Wales Institute. This was agreed and, after some discussion with the Charity Commission, a new constitution was established, with the original organisational structure remaining.

Since 1980, the charity has been run exclusively by volunteers. It operates with an Executive Committee, which meets every six weeks, and a Management Committee which meets once a year for the AGM at the House of Commons.

Over the last forty-two years, MSAVLC has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds in aid (readjusted to today’s monetary values, the total is over £5 million) and supported many different projects: the Jaipur Limb project, Mother and Child Campaign, cataract operations, repair of Hare lip and cleft palate, a programme to treat and prevent the eye infection Trachoma, early diagnosis and treatment of children with congenital abnormalities due to toxic chemicals such as Agent Orange, treatment of TB in the community in Cambodia and an audiology clinic in Laos. We also cooperate with All Ears Cambodia, a pioneering audiology programme.

The work the charity carries out is still vitally important: it provides support for projects which may cease to exist if funding is not provided.

If you are interested in finding out more about the history of MSAVLC please contact us, the following publications are also available for purchase (all proceeds go towards the projects we support).

• “35 years of Devoted support” by E.J Shellard
  Part 1 (1965 -1990)
  Part 2 (1990 -2000)
  £3.50 each, or £5.00 for both.
• “Short History of MSAVLC” (1965 – 1985) by Joan McMichael-Askins £3.50
• (1985 -1990) by Madeleine Sharp £1.50
• (1990-1995) by E.J. Shellard £1.50
• “Children of Vietnam” (published in 1968 by MACV)- Reprinted 2003
  
  
  £5.00 (£2.50 concession) - This is an excellent publication which, although it was published 38 years ago is still highly relevant today. As well as describing the suffering of the people during the war, it gives a brief history of Vietnam, explains the Geneva Conference of 1954 and the Accords which were the outcome but whose flouting led inexorably to conflict.