slideshow: No Choice: Thousands risk death crossing Gulf of Aden
Chagas: it's time to break the silence
Millions of people are infected with Chagas disease yet they do not know.
They can die in silence, without asking for help, without knowing why. An MSF specialty site focusing on Chagas
Because it is crucial that patients be cared for until the end of their medical treatment, MSF has expanded its capacity to include specialized postoperative care - including plastic and micro-surgery, treatment for burn victims, physical therapy, rehabilitation and psychological counseling. In addition, the rainy season has begun, adding to the horrific living conditions of many who still do not have proper access to sanitation facilities, and increasing the likelihood of contracting malaria.
MSF International Council President Christophe Fournier addressed NATO on December 8, 2009, regarding “the importance to make a clear distinction between impartial humanitarian actors such as MSF and other more partisan aid actors.“
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International medical humanitarian organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), strongly objects to a recent statement made by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in which he implies that NGOs should be the “soft power” component to a military strategy.
The suggestion by Mr. Rasmussen that civilian organizations such as MSF should in any way collaborate, or provide 'soft power' to the NATO forces, endangers this understanding and makes the hospitals, patients and staff more likely to be targeted by the opposition forces.
The only ambition of humanitarian action is to limit the devastations of war by helping people survive in decent condition, no matter what side of a frontline they may find themselves on.
MSF calls on all armed groups to respect the safety of civilians and allow them access to healthcare.
“We heard from people who have reached our medical structure that there are many civilians who are afraid to come to the hospital; they are in constant fear of being attacked by the armed groups. There is no safe place for them to hide,” said Philippe Havet, MSF’s Head of Mission in DRC.
"If WHO's new recommendations are not implemented, the international community risks subsidising less expensive yet sub-standard care for developing countries," said Sharonann Lynch, MSF's HIV/AIDS policy advisor. "Avoiding this will depend on the willingness of donors to make new commitments. Although this is not easy in today's financial environment, donor countries cannot back away from supporting the promise of universal access to treatment made five years ago."
This past weekend, a team of psychologists arrived in Chile to assist people affected by the earthquake, many of whom are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Ongoing tremors in the days following the earthquake have generated widespread panic in the population and made it necessary to pay especially close attention to the psychological impact the disaster had on people in the affected areas.
"It is imperative that the Government of Bangladesh act immediately to stop the violence and provide these people with the protection to which they are entitled," said MSF Head of Mission for Bangladesh Paul Critchley. "The UNHCR also needs to take greater steps toward developing a clear policy to tackle the issue..."
Over the last couple of weeks, MSF staff conducted a distribution of basic relief items to more than 35,000 people currently displaced inside Kurram Agency, in the Federally Administrated Tribal Area, Pakistan.
"Around 35,000 people fled Central Kurram Agency and gathered in and around the town of Sadda," said Tommaso Fabbri, MSF Project Coordinator. "The majority of these displaced women, children and men are staying with host families who also live in difficult conditions and can’t cope with the new arrivals for a long time.
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Two abducted MSF staff released in Haiti
Two staff members of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), abducted on March 5 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti were safely released today. Out of respect for the privacy of the two, MSF is not disclosing their identities. The organisation will also not publish any information on the circumstances under which these events took place. Find out more...
Torino, Italy – October 27, 2009
A daily photo blog focusing on MSF field activities, with emphasis on the particularly creative, arresting and visually engaging images. See more...
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