Hand surgeon Dr Stefan Krieger spent three weeks on an MSF mission in Gaza. He treated burn injuries and shared skills with the local surgical teams at the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis. For Dr Krieger, this mission provided an opportunity to address the lack of specialised medical care in the Gaza Strip.

© Nenna Arnold/MSF

This week, world leaders will gather in Geneva to commemorate 60 years of the UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Yet it is an anniversary the world’s 15.1 million refugees have little reason to celebrate. Today, states are increasingly shutting their borders and restricting the assistance they give to refugees and people seeking asylum.

A team from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been visiting Tahrir Square on an almost daily basis, and is in contact with Egyptian healthcare professionals who are working in the field hospitals, as well as with the public hospitals which are receiving the bulk of the casualties. MSF has made some donations of drugs, medical and surgical items to four hospitals in Cairo.

In Cairo, violent clashes have concentrated around Tahrir Square, where the situation remains tense. Egyptian volunteers are working in field hospitals to provide medical care to the wounded. The Ministry of Health is running mobile clinics, providing ambulances, and has mobilised nearby hospitals to treat casualties.