Clashes displace thousands of people in Darfur

"People fled suddenly and arrived with nothing but their clothes. Initially they set up makeshift shelters made out of their clothes and grass, to help protect them from the cold nights," explained Cristina Falconi, MSF head of mission in Sudan. “MSF is providing plastic sheeting, blankets, mats, soap and jerry cans that will help people cope with their most basic need. Now that all the attention is focused on southern Sudan’s referendum, we shouldn't forget that there are pressing medical needs in Darfur." Press Release - 7 Feb 2011

Niger

Niger between two seasons of hunger

Despite the large-scale response to the nutritional crisis from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and many other organisations, tens of thousands of children suffered from malnutrition in Niger in 2010. In spite of better harvests, 2011 also looks set to be a critical year. I travelled to the Zinder region, in the east of the country. Voices from the Field - 4 Feb 2011

Niger

Letter from the field: Satisfactions and sadness in Niger's intensive care malnutrition centres

Dr. Awras Majeed is a medical doctor from Wellington, New Zealand. For the past seven months, she has been working in Zinder, Niger, providing medical care to severely malnourished children. This is her first field placement with MSF and here, she gives a glimpse into what it is like to work in Niger during the ‘hunger season’. Voices from the Field - 4 Feb 2011

Kenya

The Ifo II refugee camp, Kenya, lies empty while tens of thousands of Somali refugees live in unacceptable conditions less than 10 kilometers away

“The minimum international humanitarian standards are not being met,” said MSF Humanitarian Affairs Officer, Elena Estrada. “The refugees have scarce access to water, food, non-food items and shelter. There are no latrines, making open defecation the only option, and thus increasing the risk of the spread of disease, particularly in this vulnerable population group that is already fleeing years of war.” Press Release - 20 Jan 2011

South Sudan

Southern Sudan's forgotten emergencies

It is a cruel irony for the people of Southern Sudan that the whole world is now fully focused on the potential fallout of this weekend’s referendum on secession from the North, while the ongoing emergencies facing the region since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) six years ago were all but ignored. Opinion - 7 Jan 2011

Democratic Republic of Congo

MSF treats victims of mass rape on New Year's Day in DRC

“Women had been restrained with ropes or beaten unconscious with the butt of a gun before being attacked, some in front of their children,” said Annemarie Loof, MSF Head of Mission in South Kivu. “Up to four armed men were involved at a time and homes and shops were looted.” Project Update - 6 Jan 2011

Vaccination

After vaccination campaign, hopes of a substantial reduction in meningitis A epidemics in Niger

In December 2010, MSF supported the roll-out of a new vaccine against meningitis as an alternative to solely emergency response. The first phase has been completed with optimistic results. Project Update - 6 Jan 2011

Nigeria

Pfizer promoted misleading and false accusations of MSF's involvement in unethical drug trials the company conducted in Nigeria in 1996

MSF was not working in the same part of the hospital in Kano State as Pfizer clinical researchers, and MSF staff had no connection to Pfizer. When MSF staff became aware of what Pfizer was doing, they were appalled at the practices of the company’s team. MSF personnel on the ground communicated their concerns to both Pfizer and the local authorities. Statement - 5 Jan 2011

South Sudan

Preparing for potential emergencies in southern Sudan

Today, the southern region of Sudan is confronted by constant emergencies: malnutrition is chronic, violence continues to destroy lives and displace the population, and preventable diseases are relentless killers. Project Update - 29 Dec 2010

Tuberculosis

Meet the first MSF patient to have recovered from XDR-TB

While one in five patients under treatment for moderately resistant strains of the disease do not survive, patients with extensively resistant cases, if they can get treatment at all, usually must rely on less effective and more toxic medicines, with lower success rates. For these reasons and others, Xoliswa Armans is a remarkable patient. Project Update - 23 Dec 2010

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

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We provide medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. Our teams are made up of tens of thousands of health professionals, logistic and administrative staff - most of them hired locally. Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of independence and impartiality. We are a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organisation.

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