Jocalyn Clark talks to Canadian family doctor Neil Arya about his anti-war activism with Peace Through Health

Neil Arya is the quintessential modern doctor. Born in New Delhi, raised in rural Canada, and trained in engineering before embarking on medicine, Neil has many roles. In addition to his involvement with Peace Through Health, he is the past co-vice president of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), an active member of Physicians for Global Survival, and a professor in environmental studies. Although he humbly describes himself as "a health activist on environmental, peace and disarmament issues," Neil's patients think differently. They see him as a superhero: treating patients by day and saving the world by night.

Neil's interest in promoting peace through health is captured in his professional motto: "Politics is nothing more than medicine in the big picture." His inspiration for combining peace work and medicine comes from his parents: "While my parents moved to Canada, both sets of grandparents stayed in India. I learned from them what it was like to live in an environment of violence. They lived through the 1947 conflict when India partitioned from Pakistan. There were massacres on the trains leaving Pakistan on both the day before and the day after they left. Their lives were turned upside down; they lost all their possessions. It was a devastating, awful experience for them."

At university Neil first studied chemical engineering, but switched to medicine "because I wanted to make a direct concrete positive difference in people's lives. Don't get me wrong--lots of engineers are working for change. But for me the logical, rational approach seemed incomplete. Engineering seemed too technical for me; it was a case of reason over passion, such that I was concerned compassion might be seen as a threat. I was interested in pursuing a medical career because I thought it could be more holistic, psychologically oriented, and ethical."

When Neil heard Dr Alex Bryans, the head of Canadian Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War give a lecture at his medical school, he knew he had met his mentor. At first Neil was "sceptical about whether doctors should have a particular role in peace. My reluctance was because it seemed a representation of doctors thinking they know everything. But I came to believe that every individual has a role to play. We can use our training to make the world a better place. In fact, we can use our influence and training to help heal the planet."

In 1987 he went to Moscow to attend an IPPNW conference, one of only four medical students who did. He was "struck by the passion and dedication of delegates from all over the world," including Stephen Lewis--now United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa--and Joanna Santa-Barbara "who gave a very inspiring talk on war and the threat of war on children." At that same conference he also met Seth Klein, representing Students Against Global Extermination (SAGE), a group of high school students from Montreal organising to protest against war. Enthused by these meetings, Neil organised a lecture series on peace issues at his university, took a summer job in Germany, and started to meet other medical students organising against war.

Neil also credits his involvement and enthusiasm for peace activism to Peace Through Health. This concept originated at the World Health Organization in the 1970s and was galvanised by a group of health scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario in the late 1980s. Now the "acknowledged leader in the field," the McMaster programme combines theory and practice on how health interventions in war zones may contribute to peace. Often low key and unadvertised, peace through health initiatives include humanitarian ceasefires, the use of health expertise to restrict weapons and war strategies, and the combining of individual and social healing in war zones.

So how can doctors and medical students get involved in Peace Through Health? IPPNW has an international medical student exchange programme called MedEx, where students perform a clinical rotation and also follow an active IPPNW doctor in his or her IPPNW related and socially responsible work. Students are not just focused on nuclear war but on issues such as youth violence and conflict resolution. Doctors can get involved formally through participation in and financially supporting groups working for equity on environmental, gender, and human rights issues. By doing so, doctors "increase awareness of the health impacts of conflict and the impacts of economic sanctions. For themselves they find a sense of purpose, engagement with the world, and a spirituality."

The international anti-war work is part of Neil's "larger goal to link spirituality, health and activism. For me, spirituality is primarily expressed as a deep concern for the outer world. I do not see any separation between inner development and outer involvement. I'm trying to demonstrate that activism is integral to spiritual advancement which expresses the highest ideals of respect for other humans, compassion, and non-violence. In short, living in harmony with the planet."

Neil's anti-war consciousness also hits closer to home, in his clinical work. In the multicultural world of doctoring in Canada, he sees the direct effects of war in his clinical practice. His Iraqi patients, for example, are "very vulnerable, devastated by Saddam Hussein's regime. But they are against the war."

For Neil juggling family medicine with anti-war activism means being constantly on the move. He strives to maintain a balance in life by mixing clinical practice, peace work, socialising with friends, tennis, and cross-country skiing. Neil's advice is to "recognise and create inner peace in your life, and do what's personally right for you." He points to his favourite personal motto "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." (Albert Schweitzer)

Further information

• International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War: www.ippnw.org
• Physicians for Global Survival: www.pgs.ca
• Spiritual Heritage Education Network Education: www.spiritualeducation.org
• Peace Through Health program at University of Western Ontario Medical School: www.med.uwo.ca/ecosystemhealth and www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/peace-health/