Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara
President


Prof. Kenzo Kiikuni
Chair


Dr. Yo Yuasa
Medical Advisor

Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation (SMHF) was established in 1974, with Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa, founder and first chairman of the Nippon Foundation (TNF) as President, and Professor Morizo Ishidate, father of chemotherapy of Hansen's Disease (HD) in Japan, as chair. The principal objective of SMHF is to eliminate HD, a disease which has struck fear into human beings for millennia and stigmatised those it touched. SMHF approaches HD not only as a public health problem but also as a social and human issue.

Apart from HD, the work of SMHF covers many of issues within the realm of basic health needs. In doing so SMHF has always respected the ownership by the people, of their own health related needs. SMHF believes in sharing resources and knowledge, rather than creating a situation in which the ‘haves' give to the “have-nots'. Through this we would like to share with you the joy of working together across national borders for the benefit of people in need.